In  THE 

Grip 


FTHE 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


■   ■ 


) 


IN  THE  GRIP  OF  THE  MULLAH 


THE  LEADING  MAN  FELL  TO  THE  DECK. 


IN  THE  GRIP  OF  THE 
MULLAH 

A  TALE  OF  ADVENTURE  IN 
SOMALILAND 


BY 

CAPTAIN   F.  S.  BRERETON 

Author  of 

"  One  of  the  Fighting  Scouts  "  "  The  Dragon  of  Pekin" 
"  With  Rifle  and  Bayonet  "  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  CHARLES  M.  SHELDON 


NEW   YORK 
CHARLES   SCRIBNER'S   SONS 

1903 


Copyright,  1903,  by 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


Published  September,  1903 


THE    CAXTON    PRESS 
New  Yoek  City,  U.  S.  A. 


£oo3 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  The  Castaway, 1 

II.  Off  to  Aden, 16 

III.  The  Gun-runners, 31 

IV.  In  Disguise, 49 

V.  A  Desperate  Encounter 66 

VI.  On  African  Shores, 84 

VII.  The  "  Mad  "  Mullah .  101 

VIII.  Preparing  to  Advance,           120 

IX.  Against  Heavy  Odds, 137 

X.  Fighting  the  Tribesmen, 155 

XI.  A  March  into  the  Desert, 172 

XII.  In  Touch  with  the  Mullah,  .        .        .        .190 

XIII.  The  White  Prisoner 207 

XIV.  Hemmed  in  by  the  Enemy, 223 

XV.  A' Clever  Ruse 239 

XVI.  The  Last  Daring  Attempt, 255 

XVII.  A  Dash  for  Liberty, 271 

XVIII.  In  the  Gold  Mine, 287 

XIX.  A  Strategic  Retreat, 305 

XX.  Back  to  the  Coast, 323 


1910115 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

The  Leading  Man  Fell  to  the  Deck,  .      Frontispiece 

The  Natives  Crowded  about  Them  with  Threatening 

Gestures,  50 

"  Fire  ! "  Shouted  Jim.  "  Empty  Your  Rifles  into  Them  !"    148 

Jim  Kept  His  Revolver  Steadily  Levelled,    .        .        .    218 

Jim  Sprang  upon  the  Man, 266 

The  Warriors  Had  Halted  upon  the  Path  within  a  Few 

Paces  op  the  Fugitives, 292 

Map  op  Somaliland 108 


IN    THE 
GRIP    OF    THE    MULLAH 


CHAPTER  I 

THE    CASTAWAY 

"  Perim  ! "  shouted  Colonel  Hubbard,  placing  bis  hand  to 
his  mouth,  and  his  lips  close  to  the  ear  of  his  friend  Major 
Bellamy.  "  The  island  of  Perim,  or  I  am  much  mistaken.  It 
lies  in  the  Strait  of  Bab-el-Mandeb,  and  has  proved  the 
destruction  of  more  than  one  fine  vessel.  I  can  tell  you  that, 
on  this  dark  night  and  with  this  fierce  gale  blowing,  we  are 
lucky  to  have  caught  even  a  glimpse  of  the  light,  and  still 
more  fortunate  to  have  slipped  by  in  safety.  Now  we  leave 
the  Red  Sea,  and  run  into  the  Gulf  of  Aden,  where  we  shall 
feel  the  full  force  of  the  wind  and  waves.  However,  what 
does  that  matter?  Better  plenty  of  water  all  round,  even 
though  it  is  lashed  into  frenzy,  than  a  lee  shore  close  at  hand, 
a  dark  night,  and  no  bearings  to  steer  by.  Halloa,  there's  the 
flash  of  the  light  again !  " 

Clinging  with  one  hand  to  the  rail  which  ran  round  the 
saloon,  the  speaker  pointed  eagerly  into  the  darkness.  Aided 
by  the  faint  gleam  of  the  electric  lamp  which  was  suspended 
from  the  spar  deck  above  their  heads,  his  comrade,  Major 

i 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

Bellamy,  followed  the  direction  of  his  finger,  and  having 
watched  for  a  few  seconds,  suddenly  exclaimed: 

"  Yes,  colonel,  you're  right !  I  could  have  sworn  that  there 
was  nothing  but  inky  blackness  over  in  that  direction.  But 
there's  no  doubt  about  the  matter.  The  light  is  flashing 
in  that  quarter,  I'll  stake  my  word  upon  it.  Won't  our  skip- 
per be  joyful!  I  heard  him  saying,  an  hour  or  more  ago, 
that  our  safety  depended  upon  his  sighting  the  island;  and 
there  it  is,  sure  enough.  Well  it's  a  great  relief,  and 
now  I  can  turn  in  with  some  degree  of  assurance.  I'm  not 
nervous,  you  know,  colonel,  but,  by  Jove,  a  storm  like  this, 
and  a  pitch  dark  night  such  as  we  are  experiencing,  make  one 
a  little  anxious  in  spite  of  one's  self.  Now,  if  it  were  on  land, 
and  we  were  in  an  enemy's  country,  I  should  feel  far  more  at 
my  ease.  I'd  double  the  pickets,  of  course,  so  as  to  give  the 
boys  a  little  more  courage,  don't  you  know;  for  even  a  soldier 
feels  queer  when  posted  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  away  from 
his  fellows,  especially  if  he  knows  that  a  score  or  more  of 
niggers  are  probably  crawling  round  like  ghosts,  ready  to  fall 
upon  him  at  any  moment.  Yes,  I've  had  experience  of  that, 
and  I  well  remember  how  fidgety  I  was,  for  we  were  fighting 
on  the  West  Coast,  and  knew  well  that  the  natives  of 
Ashantee  were  as  cruel  and  as  cunning  as  they  make  'em. 
So  I'd  double  the  pickets,  colonel,  and  I'd  make  a  point  of 
going  round  to  inspect  them,  and  at  the  same  time  to  en- 
courage them,  every  quarter  of  an  hour.  Depend  upon  it, 
nothing  like  letting  Thomas  Atkins  know  that  his  officer  is  at 
hand,  taking  an  interest  in  him,  and  ready  to  help  him  at  any 
moment." 

"Just  so,"  responded  the  colonel,  clinging  the  while  with 
all  his  strength  to  the  rail,  for  the  steamer  was  rolling  and 
plunging  heavily.    "Quite  right,  Bellamy;  I'd  do  the  same. 


The  Castaway 


But  what  can  our  poor  skipper  do?  He  can't  send  out  sen- 
tries, and  if  he  could  they  would  be  useless  on  a  night  like 
this.  He  must  just  trust  to  his  eyes,  and  to  his  skill  as  a 
navigator.  But,  thank  Heaven,  we  are  out  of  the  Red  Sea  and 
well  on  our  way  for  India.  Heigho!  I'm  sleepy,  and,  like 
you,  want  to  turn  in.  Good-night!  Let's  hope  the  sea  will 
have  gone  down  by  morning." 

With  a  nod,  they  separated,  and,  still  taking  advantage 
of  the  rail,  went  along  the  slippery  and  deserted  deck  to 
their  quarters.  This  was  no  easy  matter,  for  every  now  and 
again  their  progress  was  impeded  by  the  plunging  of  the 
vessel,  which  caused  them  to  halt  and  cling  frantically  to 
their  support  till  they  saw  a  favourable  opportunity  to 
proceed. 

"  Good-night !  "  shouted  the  major,  who  reached  the  com- 
panion first,  turning  to  wave  his  arm  to  his  friend;  but  his 
words  were  caught  by  the  wind  and  whisked  into  space.  Then 
he  dived  below.    The  colonel  never  saw  him  again. 

Colonel  Hubbard  and  his  friend  Major  Bellamy  were  on 
their  way  to  India  to  rejoin  their  regiments,  both  having  for 
the  past  two  years  been  engaged  in  special  work  in  South 
Africa.  At  another  time  the  ship  would  have  been  full  to 
overflowing  with  troops,  going  to  the  East  to  replace  those 
who  had  completed  their  term  of  service  there,  but,  owing  to 
the  fact  that  all  Indian  reliefs  had  practically  been  suspended 
during  the  South  African  war,  there  were  only  a  few  other 
officers  on  board. 

The  steamer  had  sailed  from  Liverpool  ten  days  before, 
and  had  made  a  fine  passage  to  the  Suez  Canal.  But  now  a 
change  had  come  over  the  weather,  the  glass  had  fallen  with 
surprising  swiftness,  and  a  fierce  gale  had  sprung  up.  Navi- 
gating his  vessel  with  all  possible  care,  the  captain  had  at 

3 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

length  the  satisfaction  of  piloting  her  past  the  island  of 
Perim,  and  had  breathed  more  freely  as  he  steered  a  course 
into  the  Gulf  of  Aden,  en  route  for  the  Indian  Ocean. 

"We're  safer  here,  at  any  rate,"  he  remarked  in  tones  of 
satisfaction  to  the  first  mate,  as  the  two  stood  poring  over 
a  chart  in  the  deck-house  on  the  bridge.  "  We've  our  bear- 
ings, and  can  go  straight  ahead  till  dawn.  But  we  shall 
have  to  be  careful  to  take  into  account  the  set  of  the  gale. 
I  reckon  that  we  are  making  a  knot  or  more  to  leeward  for 
every  five  we  advance.  So  keep  her  helm  well  up,  Farmer, 
and  send  to  wake  me  if  you  have  any  doubts.  If  I  were  at 
all  anxious,  I'd  keep  at  my  post  till  morning;  but  now  that 
we're  in  the  open  sea,  there  can  be  nothing  to  fear.  A  bright 
look-out,  then,  and  good-night." 

The  captain  gave  vent  to  a  loud  yawn,  and  wearily  left 
the  chart-house;  for  he  had  resolutely  kept  at  his  station  on 
the  bridge  ever  since  the  ship  entered  the  canal,  and  was  now 
completely  worn  out.  Groping  his  way,  he  descended  to  the 
spar  deck,  and  disappeared  into  his  cabin.  Ten  minutes  later 
the  gleam  of  light  from  his  porthole  was  suddenly  cut  off,  and 
the  deck  outside  was  plunged  into  darkness. 

For  three  hours  the  fine  ship  plunged  forward,  ploughing 
deep  into  the  waves  and  rolling  heavily  every  minute.  But 
no  one  suspected  danger.  Why  should  they  indeed?  What 
harm  could  come  to  such  a  powerful  vessel  in  this  open  sea? 
Evidently  the  mate,  as  he  kept  watch  upon  the  bridge,  had  no 
qualms,  for  he  even  hummed  the  refrain  of  a  popular  London 
air  as  he  clung  to  the  chart -house  table,  and  pricked  off  the 
course  run  during  the  night.  Danger!  Why,  not  a  soul 
expected  such  a  thing,  for  if  they  had,  would  the  passengers 
have  been  lying  below  in  their  bunks,  vainly  endeavouring  to 
snatch  a  few  moments'  sleep?     Certainly  not.     They  would 

4 


The  Castaway 


have  been  cowering  in  the  open,  a  prey  to  terror,  expecting 
every  moment  to  bring  some  dire  catastrophe. 

"  We're  in  the  gulf,  and  safe,"  murmured  the  colonel, 
thrusting  a  pillow  between  his  shoulders  and  the  edge  of  his 
bunk,  so  that  he  might  retain  his  position  more  easily. 
"  We've  a  capable  skipper  and  crew,  and,  so  far  as  I  can  see, 
we  have  nothing  to  fear.    So  here's  for  a  snooze  till  morning." 

With  that  he  turned  on  his  side,  and,  covering  his  head 
with  the  clothes,  settled  himself  for  slumber. 

Crash!  The  shock  threw  every  sleeper  from  his  bunk, 
and  even  brought  the  steersman  to  the  deck.  Crash! 
Suddenly  arrested  in  her  onward  progress,  the  ship  drew 
back  for  a  moment,  and  then  hurled  herself  with  awful  force 
against  the  obstruction.  For  the  space  of  a  few  seconds  she 
remained  firmly  fixed,  and  then,  to  the  accompaniment  of 
rending  iron  and  timber,  and  the  crash  of  the  waves  as  they 
beat  against  her  side,  she  slid  into  deep  water  once  more,  and 
wallowed  there,  as  if  undecided  how  to  act.  But  there  was 
no  pausing  with  that  sea  raging  all  about  her,  and  with  such 
a  gale  forcing  her  onward.  Heaving  her  stern  high  into  the 
air,  she  rushed  upon  the  unknown  reef  for  the  third  time, 
seeming  to  leap  at  it  eagerly  in  the  vain  hope  of  surmounting 
it.  A  moment  later  her  keel  fell  upon  the  rock  with  a 
sickening  bump,  and  breaking  asunder  in  the  bows,  she 
disappeared  in  the  raging  sea. 

It  was  a  frightful  calamity,  and  Colonel  Hubbard,  as  he 
clung  to  a  portion  of  the  wreck,  could  scarcely  believe  that  he 
was  awake — could  hardly  realize  that  this  was  not  some  terri- 
ble dream,  a  nightmare  for  which  the  storm  and  its  attendant 
discomforts  was  to  blame. 

"  Wrecked  ? "  he  wondered,  shaking  his  head  to  clear  his 
eyes  of  water,  and  shifting  his  grasp  so  as  to  obtain  a  more 

5 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

secure  position.  "Am  I  awake,  or  is  this  only  imagination? 
No;  I  am  wet  and  shivering.    It  is  all  too  real." 

At  this  moment  a  monstrous  wave  bore  down  upon  him, 
and  clinging  desperately  to  the  tangled  seaweed  with  which 
the  rock  was  thickly  covered,  he  braced  himself  to  withstand 
the  strain  to  which  he  was  about  to  be  subjected.  Taking  a 
long  breath,  he  had  just  time  to  close  his  eyes  when  the  mass 
of  water  was  upon  him.  Clasping  him  in  its  cold  embrace,  it 
tore  him  from  his  hold  as  if  he  were  weaker  than  a  child,  and 
then,  bearing  him  onward,  it  hurled  him  against  a  piece  of 
floating  wreckage,  and  left  him  there,  breathless,  gasping  for 
air,  and  almost  unconscious.  But  the  instinct  of  self-preser- 
vation soon  asserted  itself,  and  ere  a  minute  had  passed  he 
was  astride  the  floating  woodwork,  clinging  to  it  with  all  his 
strength. 

"  If  this  is  torn  from  me,"  he  gasped,  "  I  shall  be  washed 
away  and  drowned.  But  it  shan't  be,  I'll  see  to  that,  for  I 
don't  mean  to  die  yet.  Things  look  black  enough,  but  I  won't 
give  in." 

Clenching  his  teeth,  the  gallant  colonel  clung  to  the 
wreckage  gamely,  and,  though  frequently  submerged  beneath 
the  huge  masses  of  green  water  which  rolled  and  tossed  about 
him,  contrived  to  maintain  his  hold.  Breathless,  and  shiver- 
ing— for  it  was  the  winter  season,  and  a  piercingly  cold  wind 
blew  through  the  gulf — he  rode  his  strange  steed  through  the 
remainder  of  the  night,  and  just  as  the  dawn  was  breaking, 
and  the  dark  clouds  in  the  east  were  beginning  to  light  up 
with  the  rays  of  the  rising  sun,  he  espied  a  low  bank  of  sand 
lying  directly  before  him.  Shading  his  eyes  with  his  hands, 
he  looked  long  and  eagerly,  and  then  gave  vent  to  a  shout  of 
joy.  Yes,  though  he  had  lost  the  best  friend  he  ever  had 
during  the  night,  and  had  to  mourn  the  death  of  every  one  of 

6 


The  Castaway 


the  crew  and  passengers  of  the  ill-fated  liner,  yet  so  strong  is 
the  love  of  life  to  the  average  healthy  individual,  that  Colonel 
Hubbard's  spirits  were  raised  to  the  highest  by  this  piece  of 
good  fortune. 

"  Land,  land !  "  he  shouted  excitedly,  sitting  up  upon  the 
baulk  of  timber  to  obtain  a  better  view.  "  I  reckon  it  is 
two  hundred  yards  away,  and  getting  closer  every  minute. 
I'm  a  bit  done,  or  I'd  make  nothing  of  the  swim.  But  I 
mustn't  forget  that  the  gulf  has  a  reputation  for  its  sharks; 
they  are  said  to  swarm  everywhere,  and  to  be  only  too  ready 
to  snap  up  everything  that  comes  within  their  reach.  Ugh,  I 
won't  give  'em  a  chance !  " 

Shivering  at  the  thought,  the  colonel  turned  once  more  to 
the  land,  and  watched  it  closely  as  the  light  of  the  dawning 
day  disclosed  its  various  features. 

"  A  long  rolling  sandbank,"  he  said  thoughtfully,  "  with 
blue  hills  in  the  distance,  and  scarcely  a  patch  of  vegetation 
to  be  seen.  Now,  what  shore  can  it  be?  The  gale  has  been 
from  the  northeast,  and  therefore  it  must  be  the  northern 
coast  of  Africa,  and,  I  fear,  a  desolate,  uninhabited  region 
altogether.  But  I  mustn't  begin  to  grumble  when  Providence 
has  watched  over  me  so  carefully.  I  must  just  make  the  best 
of  matters,  and  be  thankful  that  my  life  is  saved.  " 

Cheering  himself  with  these  thoughts,  and  with  the 
reflection  that,  once  ashore,  the  greater  part  of  his  troubles 
would  be  ended,  the  colonel  began  to  paddle  with  his  hands 
and  kick  out  with  his  feet.  By  now,  too,  he  had  the  satis- 
faction of  finding  that  he  was  in  smooth  water,  though  a  line 
of  hissing  surf  in  front  of  him,  and  the  dull  boom  of  breakers 
falling  upon  the  sand  told  him  clearly  that  he  had  still  some 
danger  to  contend  with.  But  what  was  it,  after  all,  when 
compared  with  the  storm  he  had  outlived  that  night?     He 

7 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

asked  himself  the  question,  and  for  answer  prepared  to  leave 
the  piece  of  wreckage  which  had  proved  his  salvation,  and 
strike  out  for  the  shore. 

u  I  should  be  a  fool  to  stick  to  it  longer,"  he  said.  "  Once 
in  those  breakers  it  would  be  twisted  and  turned  in  every 
direction,  and  if  it  did  not  stun  me  by  a  blow  upon  the  head, 
it  might  very  well  roll  over  me  and  crush  the  life  out  of  my 
body.    So  here  goes !  " 

Slipping  gently  into  the  water,  he  struck  out  for  the  shore, 
firmly  determined  to  do  battle  with  the  breakers.  Almost 
before  he  thought  it  possible  he  reached  the  broad  white  line, 
and  was  engulfed  in  a  moment.  And  now,  indeed,  his  powers 
of  endurance  were  put  to  the  test,  for  whereas  a  green  wave 
had  frequently  covered  him  for  the  space  of  a  minute  whilst 
in  the  open  sea,  now  the  seething  water  bubbled  and  frothed 
about  his  mouth  and  ears  continually.  Then,  too,  caught  by 
the  fierce  wind  which  was  blowing,  a  sheet  of  spray  covered 
the  tops  of  the  breakers,  making  breathing  almost  an  impossi- 
bility. But  the  colonel  was  no  chicken,  and  now  that  he  had 
come  through  so  much  danger,  was  determined  to  reach  the 
shore  alive.  Undaunted,  therefore,  and  with  never  a  pause, 
he  struggled  manfully  onward. 

At  length,  worn  out  with  his  exertions,  he  reached  shallow 
water,  and  though  the  receding  waves  did  their  utmost  to  drag 
him  backwards,  he  contrived  to  escape  their  fatal  embrace, 
and  to  reach  a  belt  of  dry  and  glistening  sand  upon  which  he 
threw  himself  at  full  length,  for  he  was  utterly  exhausted.  A 
quarter  of  an  hour  later  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  and,  turning 
from  the  sea,  set  out  for  the  interior. 

"  I  shall  starve  if  I  stay  here,"  he  said,  "  for  there's  not  a 
living  soul  in  sight,  and  not  a  tree  or  green  bush  to  be  seen. 
I'm  done,  and  I  want  food  and  drink  badly.    Perhaps  I  shall 

8 


The  Castaway 


find  both  over  that  line  of  sandhills,  and  in  any  case  by  climb- 
ing to  the  top  I  shall  have  a  better  opportunity  of  looking 
about  me  to  see  how  the  land  lies.  Perhaps  I  shall  see  a 
village  in  the  distance,  or  a  shepherd's  hut,  and  if  so  I'll  go 
straight  on  and  give  myself  into  the  hands  of  the  inhabitants. 
It  '11  be  risky,  I  know,  but  I  must  just  chance  it." 

Trudging  onward  through  the  sand,  which  often  rose  above 
his  ankles,  he  at  length  reached  the  summit  of  a  low  range  of 
dunes  which  the  wind,  during  centuries  of  ceaseless  energy, 
had  blown  into  position. 

"  Ah !  "  No  wonder  the  colonel  gave  vent  to  an  exclama- 
tion of  astonishment,  for  when  he  reached  the  top  he  saw 
immediately  before  him  a  native  camp.  It  was  composed  of 
numerous  shelters  of  coarse  linen  or  tattered  camel-hide, 
which  were  dotted  about  the  sand  in  regular  order.  Farther 
off  were  herds  of  sheep  and  goats  and  of  camels,  browsing 
upon  the  grass  which  here  cropped  out  in  every  direction. 
There  were  also  many  horses,  and  natives  were  standing 
about,  watching  the  animals  as  they  fed.  But  what  attracted 
his  attention  most  and  filled  him  with  a  feeling  of  dismay, 
was  the  sight  of  some  thirty  or  forty  armed  men  who  sat  on 
horse-back  in  the  midst  of  the  camp.  They  were  wild-looking 
natives,  swarthy  of  feature,  tall,  and  not  ungainly,  and  clad 
from  head  to  foot  in  flowing  robes  of  white.  Some  were  armed 
with  guns,  while  a  few  carried  long  spears  and  shields,  which 
they  waved  frantically  above  their  heads.  Then,  at  a  shout 
from  one  of  them  who  had  suddenly  caught  sight  of  the 
colonel,  they  set  their  horses  in  motion,  and  came  galloping 
at  a  headlong  pace  towards  him.  In  a  few  moments  he  was 
surrounded,  and  very  soon  he  was  bound  hand  and  foot,  a 
prisoner  of  these  fierce  warriors  of  Somaliland. 

Two  hours  later  the  camp  was  struck,  and  the  natives 

9 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

began  to  march  into  the  interior,  driving  their  herds  before 
them.  The  colonel's  legs  were  freed,  and  he  was  ordered 
by  signs  to  rise  and  follow  his  captors.  To  attempt  to 
disobey  was  useless,  and  therefore,  with  downcast  head  and 
spirits  at  the  lowest,  he  trudged  onward  beside  the  horse- 
men, a  native  with  particularly  brutal  countenance  riding 
close  behind  him.  The  colonel  noted  at  a  glance  the  long 
double-handed  sword  with  which  this  ruffian  was  armed,  and 
straightway  he  banished  from  his  mind  all  thoughts  of 
resistance  or  escape.  For  a  week  the  caravan  pushed  onward, 
accomplishing,  however,  only  short  marches  each  day,  for  the 
pace  was,  of  course,  regulated  by  that  of  the  herds  which 
accompanied  them.  On  the  seventh  day  they  reached  their 
home,  which  consisted  of  a  collection  of  mud  hovels,  and 
thereafter  settled  down  to  enjoy  the  loot  which  they  had  taken 
from  the  tribes  inhabiting  the  coast.  Colonel  Hubbard  was 
handed  over  to  the  wife  of  the  Sheik,  as  the  headman  of  the 
tribe  was  known,  and  at  once  became  hewer  of  wood  and 
drawer  of  water,  a  hateful  and  laborious  employment  for  a 
man  who  had  fought  so  well  for  his  country,  and  who  had 
commanded  one  of  His  Majesty's  smart  regiments. 

Of  the  passengers  and  crew  of  the  ill-fated  ship  which  had 
come  to  grief  in  the  Gulf  of  Aden  not  another  soul  escaped. 
The  colonel,  who  was  thus  carried  off  into  captivity,  was  the 
only  survivor. 

•  ••••• 

"  Come  in,  my  lad,"  said  the  head  master  of  a  large  school 
situated  in  the  Midlands,  turning  in  his  chair,  as  a  knock 
sounded  on  his  door.  "  Ah,  come  in  and  sit  down  there, 
Hubbard.  I'm  grieved,  my  boy,  terribly  grieved  at  this  sad 
news.  If  only  we  knew  for  certain  what  had  happened,  it 
would  make  this  trouble  easier  to  bear;  but  the  doubt,  the 

10 


The  Castaway 


hope  that  one  dare  not  indulge  in,  is  most  trying.    But  you've 
come  to  see  me.    Have  you  any  more  news  ? " 

As  he  spoke  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  crossed  the  floor  to 
meet  the  youth,  who  was  no  other  than  the  son  of  the  officer 
whose  fortune  we  have  been  following.  Like  his  father,  the 
lad  was  tall,  and  by  no  means  devoid  of  good  looks.  His 
features,  indeed,  had  a  close  resemblance  to  the  colonel's. 
There  was  the  same  square  chin,  the  same  open,  steady  look, 
and  a  similar  air  of  resolution. 

"  News,  sir,"  responded  James  Hubbard,  eagerly,  declining 
the  proffered  chair  in  his  excitement,  "  yes,  I  have ;  look  at 
that!" 

Thrusting  his  hand  into  his  pocket,  he  produced  a  yellow 
envelope,  and  offered  it  to  his  master  with  trembling  fingers. 

"  Good  news,  sir,"  he  cried ;  "  here  is  a  telegram  from  my 
uncle  which  gives  me  more  hope.  After  all,  father  may  not 
have  gone  down  with  the  ship.  He  may  have  been  washed 
ashore.  He  may  have  had  the  good  fortune  to  secure  a  life- 
belt, which  would  have  kept  him  afloat.  Why  should  this 
news  not  refer  to  him  ?  " 

Snatching  the  telegram  from  him  with  equal  eagerness, 
the  head  master  dragged  the  paper  from  the  envelope  and 
scanned  the  contents. 

"  More  news  to  hand,"  ran  the  telegram.  "  A  native 
arrived  last  week  at  Aden,  having  come  from  the  Somali 
coast,  and  reports  that,  on  the  morning  following  the  night 
upon  which  the  station  at  Perim  sighted  a  steamer  passing 
east,  a  white  man  was  cast  upon  the  coast  fifty  miles  east  of 
Berbera.  He  was  at  once  pounced  upon  by  a  marauding  band 
of  Somali  warriors,  despatched  to  the  coast  by  the  Mullah 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  loot  and  prisoners.  This  is 
the  only  news,  except  that  pieces  of  wreckage   have  been 

ii 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

washed  up  close  to  Aden,  while  a  homeward-bound  steamer 
picked  up  a  portion  of  a  stern  rail  bearing  the  name  of  the  ill- 
fated  vessel." 

"  Hum,  it  is  certainly  news,"  said  the  head  master,  doubt- 
fully. "  This  telegram  proves  beyond  doubt  that  the  ship 
upon  which  your  father  sailed  met  with  a  catastrophe.  But, 
my  dear  lad,  anxious  as  I  am  to  give  you  hope,  I  feel  bound 
to  tell  you  that  you  must  not  jump  to  conclusions.  This  man 
who  was  cast  upon  the  coast,  and  who  fell  into  the  hands  of 
that  fanatic  known  as  the  Mullah,  may  have  been  a  stoker,  a 
greaser,  or  an  able  seaman  aboard  the  ship.  I  do  not  wish  to 
discourage  you,  of  course.  God  knows,  if  it  were  only 
possible,  and  certain  news  had  been  received  that  it  was  your 
father  and  no  one  else  who  reached  the  shore,  I  would  rejoice 
with  you,  and  do  my  utmost  to  aid  you  in  obtaining  further 
information.  But  it  is  hopeless.  Whoever  it  was  who  lived 
through  that  night  and  safely  reached  the  African  shore, 
would  have  been  far  happier,  far  more  fortunate,  had  he 
perished  like  the  rest." 

The  head  master  paused  for  a  few  moments,  and  stood 
looking  at  the  young  fellow  before  him.  There  was  no  doubt 
that  he  was  full  of  sympathy  for  his  loss,  and  anxious  to  help 
him.  But  what  could  he  do?  To  advise  the  lad  to  hope  on 
would  have  been  cruel  in  the  circumstances.  Better,  far 
better,  to  put  the  facts  plainly  before  him,  even  though  in 
doing  so  he  should  cause  him  bitter  grief.  Yes,  that  was  the 
best  course  to  pursue,  for  to  hold  out  the  hope  that  his  father 
still  lived,  simply  upon  the  strength  of  this  news  just  received, 
would  have  been  madness — 'indeed,  the  greatest  unkindness 
possible.  Why,  the  man  who  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Mullah 
was  more  surely  dead  than  all  those  others  who  had  sunk  to 
the  depths  of  the  ocean. 

12 


The  Castaway 


"  Don't  think,  my  lad,  that  I  am  lacking  in  sympathy," 
he  went  on,  taking  a  pace  forward,  and  placing  his  hand 
encouragingly  on  Jim's  shoulder.  "  I  wish  to  help  you  to 
bear  this  trouble,  and  I  feel  that,  when  I  tell  you  to  extin- 
guish all  hope,  I  am  giving  you  the  best  and  the  most  con- 
siderate advice.  There,  tell  me  that  you  will  take  it  in  this 
way.  Try  to  absorb  yourself  in  work,  and  so  forget  your  loss. 
Do  not  let  this  hideous  uncertainty  prey  upon  your  mind,  but 
banish  it,  for  that  is  far  the  best  course  to  pursue." 

He  pressed  his  hand  more  firmly  upon  Jim's  shoulder,  and 
looked  earnestly  into  his  face,  as  if  to  help  him  in  coming  to 
a  decision.  But  the  young  fellow  scarcely  seemed  to  be 
aware  of  his  presence.  His  eyes  were  fixed  upon  some  distant 
object  visible  through  the  window,  and  his  thoughts  were 
evidently  still  farther  away.  His  head  was  bowed  upon  his 
breast,  and  he  looked  for  the  moment  as  though  this  trouble, 
which  had  come  upon  him  at  such  an  early  age,  was  crushing 
him.  But  suddenly  his  eye  brightened,  and  a  more  cheerful 
expression  overspread  his  face.  He  straightened  himself, 
and,  raising  his  head,  looked  steadily  at  his  master. 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  he  said.  "  I  know  how  kind  you  are, 
and  that  in  speaking  to  me  in  this  way,  and  in  giving  me  the 
benefit  of  your  experience  and  of  your  advice,  you  have  acted 
with  the  sole  purpose  of  assisting  me.  But  I  cannot  believe 
that  my  father  is  dead;  I  cannot,  indeed.  Something  tells 
me  that  he  has  survived  the  wreck,  and  that  this  white  man 
referred  to  in  the  telegram  is  none  other  than  he.  Until  I 
prove  this  or  the  contrary,  I  can  never  rest,  and  never  settle 
to  my  work.  I  am  thankful  now  that  my  mother  is  not  alive 
to  feel  this  grief.  I  am  an  only  child,  and  my  father  is  my 
best  and  kindest  friend.  I  cannot,  and  will  not,  forsake  him. 
I  don't  know  now  how  I  shall  act,  but  I  feel  that  if  the  neces- 

13 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

sity  arises,  as,  indeed,  it  must,  I  will  willingly  make  my  way 
into  the  heart  of  Somaliland,  into  the  midst  of  the  Mullah's 
bands,  and  there  clear  up  this  doubt.  If  I  find  that  it  was  not 
he  who  was  washed  ashore  and  captured  by  the  natives,  then 
I  shall  be  far  easier  in  my  mind,  and  besides,  sir,  I  might 
have  the  good  fortune  at  the  same  time  to  bring  help  to  this 
poor  captive.  If  he  were  only  a  stoker,  it  would  be  sufficient 
reward  to  have  rescued  him  from  such  an  horrible  fate." 

"  But  your  examination,  my  lad.  Will  you  permit  yourself 
to  miss  it  altogether?  "  exclaimed  the  head  master.  "  Think 
what  it  means  to  you.  You  have  now  been  reading  hard  for 
a  year,  and  in  two  months,  if  only  you  are  successful,  as  I 
fully  believe  you  will  be,  you  will  have  won  a  commission 
in  the  Army,  and  will  be  on  the  high-road  to  success,  to 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  your  worthy  father." 

"  I  will  give  it  up,  sir,"  replied  Jim,  emphatically.  "  Every- 
thing must  be  put  aside  for  the  sake  of  my  father.  I  would 
rather  lose  this  commission,  and  spend  the  remainder  of  my 
days  upon  an  office-stool,  than  leave  this  doubt  unsettled.  It 
haunts  me,  and  though  I  know  how  hopeless  the  matter  is,  I 
will  go  through  with  it  till  I  am  sure  of  my  father's  fate. 
But,  in  spite  of  everything,  I  feel  that  he  still  lives,  and, 
perhaps,  is  even  now  wondering  whether  his  son  will  take  up 
his  cause  and  set  out  for  the  purpose  of  rescuing  him.  There, 
sir,  forgive  me  for  saying  that  my  mind  is  firmly  made  up, 
and  that  I  must  act  contrary  to  your  advice.  In  any  other 
matter  I  would,  as  you  know,  have  instantly  fallen  in  with 
your  wishes.  But  here  it  is  different,  for  my  father's  life  may 
be  at  stake,  and  both  his  happiness  and  mine  depend  upon  my 
exertions.  Therefore,  I  ask  you  to  let  me  leave  at  once  and 
go  to  my  uncle.  I  will  talk  the  matter  over  with  him,  and 
I  feel  sure  that  he  will  help  me  in  every  way." 

14 


The  Castaway 


Involuntarily  Jim's  hand  left  the  pocket  in  which  it  had 
been  reposing,  and  went  out  to  meet  his  master's.  And 
there  together  they  stood  for  the  space  of  a  minute  exchang- 
ing a  firm  and  cordial  clasp. 

"  You  are  a  credit  to  me !  "  exclaimed  the  head  master, 
enthusiastically.  "  A  credit,  I  say,  and  your  comrades  here 
will  be  even  prouder  of  you  than  I  am.  I  have  put  the 
position  plainly  before  you.  And,  without  wishing  to  dis- 
courage you,  have  endeavoured  to  point  out  how  hopeless  it  is. 
You  must  know  as  well  as  I  do  what  dangers  and  difficulties 
will  have  to  be  faced  in  this  undertaking,  for  your  father  and 
the  many  books  you  have  read  will  have  given  you  some  idea 
of  life  in  Africa.  Knowing  all  this,  and  with  a  full  knowl- 
edge that  if  you  persevere  in  your  search  you  must  undergo 
privation  and  exposure,  and  may  even  lose  your  life,  you 
tell  me  that  you  will  sail  for  that  country;  that  you  have 
firmly  made  up  your  mind  to  go  through  with  it  all  for  the 
sake  of  your  father  ?  Then  leave  us,  my  lad,  and  may  Heaven 
help  you,  for  you  are  a  brave  young  fellow,  and  deserve  the 
utmost  success.  There,  go  to  your  room  and  pack  your  boxes. 
A  cab  will  be  at  the  door  in  half  an  hour;  that  will  enable 
you  to  catch  the  next  train  for  London.  There,  leave  me 
now.  I  wish  to  think  over  the  matter  quietly  before  I  say 
farewell." 

Once  more  the  two  shook  hands  in  silence,  and  then, 
turning  about,  Jim  went  hurriedly  from  the  room,  and 
hastened  to  prepare  for  his  journey.  An  hour  later  he  was 
in  the  train,  and  that  evening  had  arrived  at  his  destination, 
leaving  his  friends  at  the  school  to  mourn  the  loss  of  as  fine 
and  good-hearted  a  young  fellow  as  had  ever  entered  its 
portals. 


15 


CHAPTER  II 

OFF   TO   ADEN 

Jim  Hubbard  was  a  young  gentleman  of  decidedly  prepos- 
sessing appearance.  Broad  of  shoulder,  and  particularly  well 
set  up  for  a  lad  of  a  little  more  than  seventeen  summers,  he 
looked  for  all  that  far  too  young  to  have  such  troubles  thrown 
upon  his  shoulders,  to  be  called  thus  early  in  his  life  to  face 
a  difficulty  which  might  well  prove  too  great  for  a  man  of 
mature  years  and  experience.  But  just  as  the  colonel  was 
endowed  with  the  pluck  and  perseverance  which  had  enabled 
him  to  live  through  that  wild  night  in  the  Gulf  of  Aden,  so 
also  was  his  son  gifted  with  a  spirit  and  tenacity  that  helped 
him  now  to  make  up  his  mind  to  face  any  danger  and  diffi- 
culty in  accomplishing  the  task  he  had  set  himself. 

"  It  is  clearly  my  duty,"  he  said,  as  he  trudged  along  from 
the  London  terminus  of  the  railway  to  his  uncle's  residence  in 
Kensington,  "  to  see  this  matter  through  to  the  end.  I  have 
spent  hours  and  hours  in  thinking  about  it,  and  have  always 
come  to  the  same  conclusion.  Until  this  doubt  is  absolutely 
settled,  I  can  never  rest,  and  never  be  sure  that  my  father  is 
not  living.  I  will  show  him  and  all  those  who  are  interested 
in  him  that  I  am  no  fair-weather  friend,  and  that  I  am  pre- 
pared to  stick  to  him  and  to  his  cause  until  further  search 
is  useless.  I  cannot  imagine  anyone  placed  in  similar 
circumstances  coming  to  any  other  determination,  and  if  I 
were  to  hesitate  now  and  allow  imaginary  dangers  to  frighten 
me,  I  should  be  a  coward  at  heart,  and  unfit  to  bear  my 
father's  name.    I'll  put  the  facts  before  Uncle  George,  and 

16 


Off  to  Aden 

I'm  sure  he  will  do  his  utmost  to  help  me.  Ah,  there  is  his 
house  opposite." 

Crossing  the  street,  James  mounted  the  steps  of  a  hand- 
some dwelling,  and  pulled  the  bell  vigorously.  A  moment 
later  the  door  was  thrown  open  by  a  footman,  who  had 
scarcely  taken  possession  of  his  bag  and  ushered  him  into 
the  hall  before  a  short,  stout  old  gentleman,  with  grey 
whiskers  and  hair  and  a  florid  countenance,  bustled  forward 
to  greet  him.  Mr.  George  Hubbard  was,  in  fact,  some  ten 
years  the  colonel's  senior,  and  was  of  decidedly  comfortable 
appearance.  Indeed,  whereas  his  younger  brother  had  led  an 
active  life,  going  hither  and  thither  to  all  parts  of  the  world, 
wherever  the  duties  of  a  soldier  called  him,  George  could 
scarcely  boast  that  he  had  ever  left  the  shores  of  old  England. 

"  I'm  a  regular  stay-at-home,  and  never  feel  better,  nor 
more  contented,  than  when  I  am  engaged  in  my  business 
in  London,"  he  had  often  said,  with  no  small  amount  of  satis- 
faction and  pride.  "  I  confess  that  a  soldier's  life  never 
had  any  attraction  for  me,  though,  like  all  civilians,  I  can 
and  do  admire  the  man  who  goes  out  to  face  death  at  the  call 
of  his  country." 

As  he  advanced  towards  Jim  with  outstretched  hand,  his 
fat,  good-humoured  face  showed  the  concern  he  felt  for  his 
young  nephew. 

"  My  dear,  dear  boy,  welcome !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  I  don't 
know  what  to  say  to  you,  or  how  to  help  you  in  this  distress- 
ing affair.  Both  your  aunt  and  I  have  done  nothing  but  talk 
the  matter  over,  and  have,  indeed,  spent  sleepless  nights 
in  endeavouring  to  come  to  some  conclusion,  but  without 
success.  It  is  the  most  cruel,  the  most  unhappy  misfortune 
that  I  have  ever  experienced.  But  come  upstairs.  Your 
aunt  would  never  forgive  me  if  I  kept  her  waiting." 

17 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

Wiping  the  moisture  from  his  forehead,  and  coughing  as 
though  the  effort  of  speaking  had  been  almost  too  much  for 
him,  George  Hubbard  turned  and  led  the  way  upstairs.  Jim 
followed  him  closely,  and  a  minute  later  was  in  his  aunt's 
presence.  Then  sitting  down,  the  three  discussed  the  matter 
fully,  Jim  telling  his  relatives  to  what  decision  he  had  come. 

"You  know  the  facts  as  well  as  I  do,  uncle,"  he  said, 
"  and  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  do  all  you  can  to  help  me,  and 
not  to  try  and  thwart  me.  I  know  how  hopeless  my  mission 
must  seem  to  you,  and  that  many  would  think  I  was  under- 
taking a  wild-goose  chase.  But,  as  I  told  the  head  master  at 
school,  I  feel  sure  that  the  man  cast  up  upon  the  African 
coast  was  my  father,  and  if  that  is  the  case,  he  surely  needs 
my  help.  I  have  been  thinking  the  matter  over  as  I  came  up 
in  the  train,  and  bought  a  map  specially  to  help  me.  By  it 
I  see  that  my  best  course  will  be  to  take  a  steamer  direct 
to  Aden,  and  from  there  I  shall  be  able  to  get  a  trader  to 
Berbera.  Meanwhile,  I  shall  telegraph  to  the  News  Agency 
which  supplied  the  information  sent  me  this  morning,  and 
will  endeavour  to  arrange  that  the  man  who  saw  this  survivor 
of  the  wreck  land  upon  the  coast,  and  afterwards  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  Mullah's  Somali  warriors,  shall  be  in  waiting  to 
receive  me.  Then,  with  him  as  guide,  I  shall  make  my  way 
to  the  actual  point  where  the  incident  happened,  and  from 
there  we  shall  turn  our  faces  inland.  It  may  happen  that  I 
shall  be  able  to  join  some  shooting  expedition,  for  one  reads 
occasionally  in  the  papers  that  English  gentlemen  take 
caravans  into  that  part  of  Africa  for  the  purpose  of  big  game 
shooting.  If  not,  I  shall  endeavour  to  hire  a  few  followers, 
and  take  up  the  search  alone.  I  know  it  sounds  a  big  thing 
to  attempt,  uncle ;  but  wouldn't  you  do  the  same  in  a  similar 
case  ? " 

18 


Off  to  Aden 

George  Hubbard  gasped.  He  was  a  man  of  peace,  and 
though  well  read  and  thoroughly  sensible,  he  had,  neverthe- 
less, an  exaggerated  idea  of  the  wildness  and  dangers  to  be 
met  with  in  Africa.  Nor  could  he  be  blamed  for  that,  for  for 
weeks  past  the  papers  had  been  filled  with  accounts  of  Somali- 
land,  and  of  the  doings  of  the  Mullah.  And  now  to  sit  there 
in  a  comfortable  armchair  before  his  open  hearth,  and  hear 
his  young  nephew  calmly  propose  to  sail  for  Africa,  and  make 
his  way  into  the  very  heart  of  the  Somali  country,  was  quite 
enough  to  make  a  man  of  his  disposition  do  more  than  gasp. 
He  sat  forward  in  his  chair  staring  at  Jim  with  a  horrified 
expression  on  his  face,  and  with  eyes  which  threatened  to  fall 
out  of  his  head. 

"  Go  to  Africa !  March  into  the  interior,  and  probably 
meet  the  Mullah  face  to  face !  "  he  exclaimed,  mopping  his 
forehead  with  his  handkerchief.  "  Good  gracious,  you  will  be 
killed,  you  will  lose  your  life  to  a  certainty !  " 

"  I  may,  uncle,"  responded  Jim,  calmly.  "  On  the  other 
hand,  there  is  a  possibility  of  my  succeeding,  for  many  men 
have  made  their  way  into  Somaliland  and  returned  to  tell  the 
tale.    Think  of  the  joy  it  would  be  to  rescue  father." 

"  But  it  is  madness,  Jim !  Because  one  single  white  man 
out  of  some  two  or  three  hundred  who  left  England  on  that 
unlucky  ship  contrived  to  reach  the  shore  alive,  you  fly  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  must  have  been  my  poor  brother.  It  is 
utter  folly  to  argue  in  this  way,  though  I  cannot  help  but 
admire  the  brave  thought  which  prompts  you.  Still,  I  am  a 
matter-of-fact  man,  and  I  say,  without  hesitation,  that  the 
dangers  are  too  great,  and  the  end  too  uncertain,  to  justify 
your  taking  the  risks.  However,  no  efforts  and  no  money 
shall  be  spared  to  obtain  further  information,  and  should  it 
turn  out,  as  I  trust  and  hope  it  may,  that  this  survivor  is 

19 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

indeed  my  brother,  then  you  shall  go.  Indeed,  so  deeply  do 
I  feel  his  loss,  that  I  am  tempted  to  say  that  I,  too,  would 
join  you  in  the  search.  But  that  would  be  foolish,  consider- 
ing what  I  am,  and  how  utterly  unfitted  for  such  exertions." 

He  rose  from  his  seat,  and  turning,  stood  facing  Jim,  with 
a  comical  look  of  despair  upon  his  features.  For  some 
minutes  there  was  silence,  and  then,  just  as  he  was  about  to 
begin  a  long  and  telling  argument,  with  the  object  of  dis- 
suading Jim  from  an  attempt  which,  to  his  uncle,  appeared 
worse  than  madness,  a  knock  sounded  on  the  door,  and  a 
footman  entered. 

"A  telegram,  sir,"  he  said. 

With  an  agile  spring,  which  was  wonderful  considering  his 
unwieldy  proportions,  George  Hubbard  left  his  position  by 
the  fire,  and  darted  across  the  room.  Taking  the  telegram 
from  the  footman,  he  tore  it  open,  and  then  began  to  read  it 
aloud,  while  Jim  and  his  aunt  jumped  to  their  feet  and  looked 
over  his  shoulder. 

"From  the  News  Agency!"  he  cried  excitedly.  "I  gave 
them  instructions  to  spare  no  expense  in  obtaining  informa- 
tion, and  here  is  the  result." 

"Read  it!"  exclaimed  Jim  and  his  aunt,  impatiently. 
"What  does  it  say?" 

"  Listen !  "  answered  Mr.  Hubbard,  holding  the  paper  so 
that  the  light  should  fall  upon  it.  " '  In  accordance  with 
your  instructions,  we  have  questioned  native  who  gave  infor- 
mation. He  states  that  surviving  white  man  was  tall,  with 
dark  hair,  getting  grey  at  temples,  grey  moustache,  and  mus- 
cular body.  Not  quite  certain,  owing  to  distance,  but  thinks 
he  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  bangle  about  his  wrist.  If  not  that, 
it  was  a  piece  of  cloth  tied  there,  perhaps  to  cover  a  wound.' " 
"  That  is  father ! "  shouted  Jim,   unable  to  restrain  his 

20 


Off  co  Aden 

excitement.  "  I  am  certain  it  is  he,  for  the  description  tallies 
exactly  with  his  appearance,  and,  moreover,  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  wearing  a  watch  bracelet  upon  his  wrist." 

"  Tall,  dark  hair  getting  grey,  and  grey  moustache,"  re- 
peated Mr.  Hubbard,  as  if  to  assure  himself  that  he  had  read 
the  telegram  aright.  "  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  is 
my  brother.  I  quite  agree  with  you,  Jim,  for,  though  it  is 
possiWe,  and  even  very  probable,  that  many  men  aboard  the 
ship  would  have  answered  to  that  description,  the  fact  that 
the  survivor  wore  a  dark  bracelet  upon  his  wrist  is,  in  my 
opinion,  an  absolute  confirmation.  I  am  glad,  my  boy — more 
than  glad.  Indeed,  I  cannot  tell  you  how  much  this  good 
news  rejoices  my  heart." 

Turning  to  his  nephew,  he  grasped  his  hand  and  shook  it 
till  the  lad's  fingers  ached,  patting  him  meanwhile  upon  the 
shoulder  with  his  other  hand. 

"  Yes,  delighted ;  pleased  beyond  measure,"  he  continued 
earnestly.  "  Now  you  may  rely  upon  the  fact  that  your 
uncle  is  wholly  on  your  side." 

As  for  Mrs.  Hubbard,  she  had  a  tender  heart,  and  gently 
pushing  her  husband  aside,  threw  herself  into  Jim's  arms 
with  tears  of  joy  in  her  eyes. 

"  You  deserve  the  good  news,  my  dear  boy,"  she  said, 
kissing  him  affectionately.  "  It  went  to  my  heart  to  see  your 
silent  grief,  and  how  bravely  you  had  determined  to  clear 
up  this  uncertainty.  It  was  horrible  to  feel  that  your  father 
might  be  dead,  and  still  more  trying  to  hear  that  there  was 
just  a  possibility  that  he  was  still  alive,  a  captive  in  the 
hands  of  this  man  they  call  the  Mullah.  The  uncertainty 
was  more  than  I  could  bear,  and  I  feel  sure  that,  had  I  been 
a  man,  I  should  have  followed  the  same  course,  and  gone  to 
Africa,  so  as  to  set  the  matter  for  ever  at  rest." 

21 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"And  now  let  us  discuss  the  question,"  interposed  Mr. 
Hubbard,  pacing  restlessly  up  and  down  the  room.  "  There 
must  be  no  delay  in  setting  out  to  rescue  my  brother,  and  as 
we  in  England  can  do  little,  seeing  that  we  are  so  far  from 
Somaliland,  I  advise  that  you  at  once  take  ship  for  Aden.  It 
happens  that  my  firm  have  business  relations  with  a  man 
living  there.  He  exports  camels  to  that  part  of  Africa  ruled 
over  by  the  Italians,  and  gathers  in  his  warehouses  every 
description  of  merchandise  which  comes  from  the  interior  of 
the  country.  If  anyone  can  help  you  he  is  the  man.  Now, 
let  me  see,  a  ship  will  leave  the  London  Docks  for  the  Medi- 
terranean and  Egypt  to-morrow  evening;  we  will  telephone 
at  once  to  obtain  a  berth  for  you.  That  done,  we  will  set 
about  getting  you  a  kit,  for  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
you  should  go  well  provided,  and  in  that  respect  the  utmost 
attention  must  be  paid  to  weapons.  That  reminds  me,  a 
gentleman  of  my  acquaintance  who  has  visited  Africa  for 
purposes  of  sport  happens  to  live  close  at  hand.  We  will  go 
in  and  see  him  at  once,  for  it  is  more  than  likely  that  he  will 
be  able  to  give  us  valuable  advice." 

It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  energy  displayed  by  Mr.  Hub- 
bard. Now  that  there  was  no  doubt  that  it  was  his  brother 
who  had  survived  the  wreck,  he  was  like  a  schoolboy  in  his 
eagerness  to  set  about  his  rescue,  and  took  the  matter  up  in 
a  manner  which  showed  that  he  was  determined  to  do  as 
much  for  the  cause  in  his  own  way  as  was  his  nephew. 
Hastening  from  the  room,  he  and  Jim  quickly  donned  their 
coats  and  hats,  and  hurried  to  the  nearest  telephone  station. 
As  it  was  late  in  the  evening,  the  instrument  was  disengaged, 
and  within  five  minutes  a  passage  was  booked  upon  a  steamer 
that  was  to  leave  England  the  following  evening.  Jim  and 
his  uncle  now  hailed  a  cab,  and  were  quickly  transported  to 

22 


Off  to  Aden 

the   residence   of   the   gentleman   of   whom   the  latter  had 
spoken. 

"  Glad  to  be  of  service,  I'm  sure,"  he  said,  when  Mr. 
Hubbard  had  explained  the  reason  of  his  coming.  "  Indeed, 
had  it  been  possible,  I  should  willingly  have  undertaken  to 
accompany  your  nephew,  in  which  case  my  experience  of 
life  in  Northern  Africa  would  have  been  of  some  help  to 
him.  Aden  is  certainly  his  first  point  of  call,  and  as  you 
already  have  an  agent  there,  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  a 
passage  over  to  Berbera,  and  of  getting  together  the  neces- 
sary followers  and  camels  for  transport  purposes,  will  be 
easily  overcome.  I  strongly  advise  him  to  engage  a  '  shikari,' 
or  head  hunting-man,  to  accompany  him  and  take  charge  of 
the  natives;  and  if  he  applies  at  the  British  Consul's  at 
Berbera,  it  is  possible  that  he  will  be  able  to  obtain  the 
services  of  a  man  called  Ali  Kumar,  a  civilized  Somali  war- 
rior, who  accompanied  me  on  an  expedition  two  years  ago, 
and  who  proved  invaluable.  Now  as  to  kit.  A  couple  of 
suits  of  rough  cloth,  with  leather  gaiters  and  good  marching 
boots,  will  be  the  best.  A  felt  hat  would  be  worse  than  useless 
as  a  head-covering  out  there,  for  in  the  hot  season  the  sun 
pours  down  with  a  fierceness  that  cannot  be  imagined,  and 
can  only  be  fully  understood  when  actually  experienced. 
Three  or  four  water-tanks,  so  constructed  as  to  be  capable  of 
being  easily  slung  upon  camels,  should  be  procured,  for 
this  gentleman  known  as  the  'Mad'  Mullah  has  his  happy 
hunting-grounds  some  two  hundred  miles  inland,  and  to 
reach  him  it  is  necessary  first  to  cross  a  range  of  hills,  and 
then  to  face  the  Hoad,  or  waterless  desert,  which  stretches 
for  quite  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  without  a  break.  That  is 
always  a  most  trying  ordeal,  but  you  will  have  to  face  it, 
for,  until  the  Hoad  is  passed,  there  will  be  no  prospect  of 

23 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

obtaining    more    than    the    most    meagre    news    of    your 

father." 

•    "  That  will,   indeed,   be   a   terrible   difficulty,"   interposed 

Mr.  Hubbard.     "  One  often  hears  of  whole  caravans  lost  in 

the  attempt  to  cross  these  waterless  tracts,  and  I  suppose,  in 

the  case  of  this  one  which  you  call  the  Hoad,  such  a  fatality 

is  not  unknown. 

"  I  will  not  say  that  accidents  have  not  happened,"  was 
the  answer,  in  reassuring  tones;  "but  so  well  is  this  desert 
known,  and  so  accustomed  are  the  natives  to  crossing  it,  that 
they  think  lightly  of  its  dangers.  But  your  raising  the 
question  reminds  me  to  speak  of  animals.  A  good  supply  of 
transport  camels  will  be  required,  and,  in  addition,  a  dozen  or 
more  of  the  trotting  variety  will  be  absolutely  necessary. 
Then,  supposing  our  young  friend  happens  to  obtain  some 
piece  of  important  news,  he  will  be  able  to  leave  his  caravan, 
and  make  a  dash  to  any  given  point.  Horses,  too,  he  must 
have,  and  he  will  find  no  difficulty  in  getting  as  many  as  he 
requires.  A  small  case  of  drugs  is  another  item  that  should 
prove  of  use,  and  I  strongly  advise  him  to  take  some  rolls  of 
strong  barbed  wire.  The  additional  weight  that  will  have  to 
be  carried  will  be  fully  compensated  for  by  the  feeling  of 
security  that  the  wire  will  give." 

"  But  how  ?  I  do  not  follow  your  point,"  said  Mr.  Hub' 
bard  dubiously.  "I  do  not  see  how  this  wire  will  help  my 
nephew." 

"  Then  1  will  explain.  He  will  march  in  the  early  morning, 
and  if  the  sun  is  not  too  hot,  will  continue  to  do  so  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  day.  Sometimes  he  will  cover  only  a  few 
miles,  and  will  then  halt,  for  his  powers  of  getting  about  the 
country  will  depend  greatly  upon  the  condition  of  his  trans- 
port animals.     Again,  he  will  occasionally  have  to  make 

24 


Off  to  Aden 

forced  marches,  for  the  water-holes  are  often  separated 
by  long  distances,  which  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
cover. 

"  But  to  come  to  the  barbed  wire.  When  he  halts  at 
night,  he  will  form  a  zareba,  sending  out  his  followers  to  cut 
thorn-bushes  with  which  to  build  a  hedge.  A  few  posts 
driven  into  the  ground  at  intervals  along  the  outside  of  the 
zareba,  with  wire  stretched  between  them,  will  effectually 
stop  a  rush  of  the  enemy,  and  will  give  timely  warning  in 
case  of  attack.  In  South  Africa  miles  and  miles  were  used 
between  the  blockhouses,  and  proved  of  great  service." 

"  I  see  your  point,"  exclaimed  Jim,  who  had  followed  his 
words  closely,  "  and  I  should  imagine  that  if  the  posts  and 
wires  were  hidden  amongst  the  thorns,  the  surprise  and  alarm 
of  the  enemy  would  be  even  greater.  Numbers  might  easily 
become  entangled,  and  then  we  should  be  able  to  teach  them 
a  lesson  with  our  rifles." 

"  Quite  so.  I  fully  agree  with  you,"  was  the  answer. 
"  And,  speaking  of  weapons,  reminds  me  that  I  have  not  yet 
dealt  with   that   subject." 

For  a  few  moments  the  speaker  buried  his  face  in  his 
hands,  and  sat  there  thoughtfully. 

"  There  is  no  doubt,"  he  suddenly  continued,  "  that  this 
is  a  most  important  matter.  I  take  it  that  you  are  not  bent 
upon  big  game  shooting,  and  that  if  you  come  upon  lions  or 
elephants  you  will  leave  them  severely  alone.  For  your 
purpose  the  Lee-Enfield  rifle  will  be  the  best,  and  should  it 
turn  out,  as  it  very  well  may,  that  you  are  attacked  by  the 
beasts  I  have  mentioned,  then  you  must  trust  to  slay  them 
by  means  of  a  volley,  for  it  is  hopeless  to  expect  that  a  single 
one  of  these  small-calibre  bullets  will  prove  fatal.  If  it 
were  to  strike  a  vital  spot  it  certainly  would,  but  that  is  a 

25 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

piece  of  luck  which  you  must  not  count  upon,  for,  remember, 
you  cannot  afford  to  take  unnecessary  risks.  So  you  should 
equip  your  party  with  the  rifles  I  have  mentioned,  and,  in 
addition,  a  hunting  knife  and  a  brace  of  good  revolvers 
would  be  useful  possessions  for  yourself.  A  pair  of  field- 
glasses  and  a  tin  water-bottle  should  complete  your  equip- 
ment. I  need  hardly  mention  the  advisability  of  carrying 
an  abundant  supply  of  ammunition. 

"And  now,  my  lad,  it  only  remains  for  me  to  wish  you 
the  best  of  luck.  I  admire  your  pluck  immensely,  but  I  shall 
give  you  a  few  last  words  of  advice.  Be  always  cautious, 
never  omit  to  post  sentries  at  night  and  visit  them  yourself, 
and,  above  all,  be  ever  on  the  look-out  for  treachery.  The 
Somali  natives  have  the  reputation  of  being  cunning  rogues. 
Plunder  seems  to  be  their  sole  object  in  life,  and  camels  have 
a  peculiar  attraction  for  them.  They  would  think  nothing 
of  killing  you,  if  by  doing  so  they  could  obtain  possession  of 
your  transport  animals." 

Thanking  him  heartily  for  his  kindness,  and  exchanging  a 
cordial  shake  of  the  hand,  Jim  and  his  uncle  left  their  friend, 
and  returned  home  at  once. 

"  We  shall  have  to  be  busy  to-morrow,"  said  Mr.  Hubbard, 
as  they  took  their  seats  once  more  in  front  of  the  fire.  "  In 
the  first  place,  we  must  get  your  clothing  and  revolvers,  with 
a  few  strong  trunks  in  which  to  carry  them.  The  rifles  and 
any  other  items  we  may  happen  to  think  of  can  be  purchased 
during  the  week,  and  I  shall  see  that  they  follow  you  out  to 
Aden.  You  will  want  to  have  means  of  drawing  money,  and 
for  that  purpose  I  shall  write  full  instructions  to  our  agent. 
His  name,  by  the  way,  is  Andrews,  and  you  will  find  him  an 
extremely  obliging  gentleman.  I  shall  tell  him  to  supply  you 
with  anything  you  may  ask  for,  and  I  may  say  now  that, 

26 


Off  to  Aden 

though  I  do  not  desire  that  you  should  be  extravagant,  no 
expense  that  may  help  to  the  recovery  of  rny  dear  brother 
shall  be  spared.  And  now  to  bed,  my  dear  Jim,  for  to- 
morrow you  have  much  to  do." 

Early  on  the  following  morning  Mr.  Hubbard's  house  in 
Kensington  was  astir.  There  was  an  air  of  subdued  excite- 
ment about  the  servants,  who  in  some  mysterious  way  had 
contrived  to  hear  full  details  of  all  that  was  occurring.  Mrs. 
Hubbard  took  her  place  at  the  breakfast-table,  assuming  as 
cheerful  a  look  as  she  could,  though  her  heart  was  full  of 
misgivings  for  the  safety  of  her  nephew.  But  she  was  wise 
enough  to  know  that  he  needed  encouragement  and  help,  and 
therefore  determined  that  he  should  not  guess  what  her 
thoughts  were.  As  for  Jim,  he  appeared  with  smiling 
countenance,  for  now  that  he  felt  sure  that  his  father  had 
really  escaped  the  wreck,  he  was  quite  light-hearted,  and 
though  fully  aware  of  the  difficulties  and  dangers  before  him,, 
was  prepared  to  face  them  without  hesitation. 

"  I  know  it's  going  to  be  a  job,"  he  had  said  to  himself,  as 
he  lay  awake  during  the  night,  "  and  I  must  be  prepared  to 
spend  months,  and  even  a  year,  in  accomplishing  it.  But  it 
has  to  be  done,  and  if  only  I  make  up  my  mind  from  the 
beginning  that  nothing  shall  beat  me,  then  my  chances  of 
success  will  be  good." 

Breakfast  over,  he  said  good-bye  to  his  aunt,  and  then, 
entering  a  cab  with  his  uncle,  drove  off  to  a  firm  in  the  city, 
from  whom  he  was  able  to  obtain  a  complete  outfit  of  clothing. 
Trunks  were  bought  at  the  same  place,,  and  directions  given  to 
have  them  packed  at  once. 

"  We'll  call  for  them  in  an  hour,"  said  Mr.  Hubbard,  "  and 
I  shall  be  obliged  if  you  will  arrange  to  have  everything  ready 
for  us,  so  that  there  shall  be  no  delay." 

27 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

E-tering  their  cab  again,  they  drove  to  a  gunsmith's,  where 
a  couple  of  big  Webley  revolvers  were  purchased,  together 
with  a  strong  hunting  knife  contained  in  a  sheath,  which  was 
so  arranged  as  to  be  slung  in  a  belt.  A  small  case  of  drugs  in 
tabloid  form  was  obtained  at  another  establishment,  and 
then,  armed  with  their  purchases,  James  and  his  uncle 
returned  for  the  clothing. 

Within  five  minutes  the  luggage  was  on  the  cab,  and  they 
were  on  their  way  to  Fenchurch-street  Station.  An  hour 
later  James  was  safely  installed  in  his  cabin,  and  shortly 
afterwards  took  leave  of  his  uncle. 

"You  may  rely  upon  my  sending  the  other  things 
promptly,"  said  Mr.  Hubbard,  as  he  moved  towards  the  gang- 
way. "  They  should  reach  you  within  a  week  of  your  arrival 
in  Aden,  and  so  that  there  shall  be  no  difficulty  about  im- 
porting the  arms,  or  about  transhipping  them  to  Africa,  you 
had  better  go  to  the  Governor  at  Aden,  and  tell  him  all  the 
facts.  I  will  visit  the  Foreign  Office  in  London,  and  I  am 
sure  that  every  effort  will  be  made  to  help  you.  Good-bye, 
and  may  you  be  successful." 

That  afternoon  the  steamer  put  out  into  the  river,  and  by 
night  was  well  at  sea.  Running  down  Channel,  she  made  a 
good  passage  to  Ushant,  and  was  soon  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay, 
which,  to  the  delight  of  all  the  passengers,  was  comparatively 
smooth. 

Jim  was  enchanted  with  this  new  experience,  and  before 
very  long  began  to  feel  quite  at  home.  Indeed,  so  quickly 
are  friendships  made  upon  an  ocean-going  steamer,  that 
within  a  day  or  two  he  felt  as  though  he  had  known  all  the 
passengers  for  quite  a  lengthy  period. 

After  coasting  along  the  Portuguese  shore,  the  ship  steered 
to  the  east,  and  entered  the  Mediterranean.     Gibraltar  was 

28 


Off  to  Aden 

sighted,  and  signals  exchanged,  so  as  to  let  the  folks  at  home 
know  that  a  safe  passage  had  thus  far  been  made. 

A  week  later  they  were  in  the  canal,  and  in  due  time 
reached  Aden.  Here  Jim's  baggage  was  put  ashore,  and  he 
himself  followed,  feeling  somewhat  forlorn  amongst  so  many- 
strangers. 

"  Mr.  Hubbard,  I  think  ?  "  said  a  cheery  voice  at  his  elbow, 
causing  him  to  turn  round  with  a  start,  to  find  that  a  short, 
bearded  man,  with  a  pleasant  face,  was  addressing  him.  He 
was  clad  in  white  from  head  to  foot,  and  wore  an  enormous 
"  topee,"  or  pith  helmet,  upon  his  head.  "  I  am  making  no 
mistake,  I  think  ? "  he  continued.     "  I   am  Mr.  Andrews." 

In  a  moment  they  were  shaking  hands,  and  then  Jim's  new 
friend  called  loudly  to  some  Indian  porters,  and  gave  them 
instructions   concerning  the   baggage. 

"  Everything  here  is  done  by  natives  from  India,"  he  said, 
noticing  a  look  of  inquiry  on  Jim's  face.  "  In  fact,  Aden 
is,  officially,  part  of  our  Eastern  possessions,  and  boasts  of 
no  other  coin  than  the  rupee.  But  I  will  tell  you  all  about 
that  later.     We'll  drive  to  my  place  now.     Hi !  gharri !  " 

At  his  shout  an  open  carriage,  drawn  by  two  "  tats,"  as  the 
small  native  ponies  are  known,  dashed  up  to  them,  and  when 
they  were  seated  drove  off  along  the  main  street  of  Aden  at 
a  pace  which  in  London  would  have  been  considered  furious. 
Leaving  the  town,  they  took  another  road  which  led  to  the 
right,  into  a  part  occupied  by  many  bungalows,  and  at  one 
of  these  they  finally  alighted. 

"  Aden  itself  is  a  horrible  place,"  said  Mr.  Andrews, 
apologetically,  waving  his  hand  towards  the  town.  "  It  is,  as 
you  see,  little  more  than  a  wide  volcanic  plain,  with  nothing 
in  the  way  of  vegetation  to  relieve  its  barrenness.  Out  here, 
however,  we  have  contrived  to  arrange  a  little  oasis,  in  which 

29 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

we  Europeans  live.  But  come  in,  Mr.  Hubbard,  and  I'll 
show  you  the  room  you  are  to  occupy  while  staying  with 
me.  Then  we'll  have  tiffin  (luncheon),  and  afterwards  we'll 
sit  on  the  verandah  and  talk  this  matter  over.  I  believe  I've 
excellent  news  for  you,  which  you  shall  hear  in  good  time." 

"  About  father  ?  Does  it  concern  him  ?  "  asked  Jim,  eagerly, 
pricking  up  his  ears  at  the  mention  of  news,  fir  he  had  been 
without  any  for  more  than  a  week.  "  Perhaps  he  has  been 
rescued?    But  that  is  expecting  too  much." 

"  No,  it's  not  that,"  was  the  answer,  in  reassuring  tones ; 
"  but  it's  remarkably  good  news,  I  can  tell  you,  for  I  have 
ascertained  that  a  certain  gentleman  is  bound  upon  a  similar 
expedition,  or  rather,  is  about  to  go  into  the  Mullah's  country 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  intelligence  of  his  movements. 
Hearing  that  you  also  contemplated  penetrating  into  the 
interior,  he  asks  leave  to  accompany  you,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
you  will  be  delighted  to  take  him." 

"  I  shall,  indeed,"  answered  Jim,  eagerly.  tl  I  was  quite 
prepared  to  undertake  the  journey  alone,  but  a  companion 
will  make  all  the  difference,  and  I  willingly  agree  to  his 
joining  my  expedition." 

"  Then,  that's  settled ;  and  now  for  tiffin." 

Leading  the  way  through  a  wide  compound,  laid  out  like 
an  English  garden,  Mr.  Andrews  mounted  the  steps  of  a 
shady  verandah,  and  entering  a  doorway  in  front  of  which 
hung  a  curtain  of  reeds,  ushered  his  companion  into  a 
delightfully  cool  inner  room,  in  which,  on  a  table  placed 
in  the  centre,  was  spread  a  snowy  white  cloth,  littered  with 
sparkling  glass  and  silver.  Silent-footed  natives  salaamed 
and  prepared  to  wait  upon  them,  and  at  once  the  two  sat 
down  and  began  their  meal. 


30 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  GUN-RUNNERS 

"  Now  come  out  to  the  verandah,"  said  Mr.  Andrews, 
taking  James  by  the  arm  as  soon  as  tiffin  was  finished.  "  I 
have  a  couple  of  comfortable  chairs  there,  in  which  we  can 
lounge,  for  just  now  is  the  hottest  part  of  the  day,  and  no 
European  ventures  abroad  unless  compelled  to  by  unforeseen 
circumstances." 

Leaving  the  airy  dining-room,  the  two  stepped  on  to  a 
broad  paved  verandah,  which  entirely  surrounded  the  bunga- 
low, and  took  their  seats  in  a  shady  nook. 

Above  their  heads  was  a  thickly  thatched  roof,  the  eaves 
of  which  projected  so  far  beyond  the  supporting  posts  as  to 
make  a  broad  stretch  of  shadow  beneath.  But  as  they  lay  in 
their  chairs,  Jim  and  his  new  friend  could  easily  see  beneath 
it.  For  the  moment  they  sat  there  in  silence.  Indeed,  Jim 
was  lost  in  admiration,  for  Mr.  Andrews  had  created  for 
himself  a  perfect  English  garden.  Glancing  between  the 
pillars,  about  which  clung  roses,  jasmine,  and  honeysuckle, 
and  many  another  creeper,  he  looked  out  upon  beds  of 
brilliant  flowers,  laid  out  in  orderly  array,  and  flashing  gor- 
geously in  the  rays  of  the  Eastern  sun. 

"  I've  only  to  forget  the  bungalow,  and  imagine  myself  in 
old  England  again,"  said  Mr.  Andrews.  "  That  garden  is 
just  one  of  the  luxuries  I  allow  myself,  and  which  helps  to 
make  life  more  pleasant  here.  Some  day  I  hope  to  end  my 
exile  and  return  home,  for,  however  fascinating  bright  and 

3i 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

continuous  sunshine  may  be,  to  return  to  one's  native  country 
is  always  a  pleasure  to  which  we  who  live  out  here  look 
forward.  But  here  is  someone  coming  through  the  gate. 
Ah,  I  see,  it's  the  gentleman  of  whom  I  was  speaking." 

He  sprang  from  his  seat  and  went  toward  the  steps  to 
greet  his  visitor.  As  for  Jim,  he  watched  with  some  interest 
to  see  what  kind  of  man  this  stranger  should  prove  to  be. 

"  I  hope  I  shall  like  him,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  for  it 
would  be  disastrous  to  our  expedition  if  we  were  to  fall  foul 
of  each  other.  But  here  he  is,  and — yes,  he  looks  a  good 
fellow,  and  I  am  sure  we  shall  be  excellent  friends." 

As  this  passed  through  his  mind  the  visitor  mounted  the 
steps,  and  Jim  obtained  a  clear  view  of  his  features.  He  was 
tall  and  thin,  with  fair  hair  and  clean-shaven  face,  and,  as 
far  as  one  could  guess,  was  about  twenty-five  years  of  age. 

"  Ah,  how  do,  Andrews  ? "  he  exclaimed  cheerily,  spring- 
ing with  one  bound  on  to  the  verandah.  "  Glad  to  see 
you,  my  dear  fellow.  I  heard  that  the  ship  had  arrived,  and 
so  came  along  to  have  a  chat,  and  to  meet  the  Mr.  Hubbard 
of  whom  you  were  speaking." 

"There  he  is,  then,"  cried  Mr.  Andrews,  turning  to  Jim; 
"  and  he,  too,  is  anxious  to  make  your  acquaintance." 

A  moment  later  the  two  were  shaking  hands,  each  greeting 
the  other  with  a  steady  look,  which  seemed  to  say,  "  I  want 
to  know  what  sort  of  a  chap  you  are,  and  how  we  are  likely  to 
get  along  together." 

"  Glad  to  meet  you,  and  I  hope  we  shall  be  good  friends. 
My  name  is  Dixon — Tom  Dixon ;  Tom  for  short." 

"  And  mine  is  James — James  Hubbard,  you  know,"  said 
our  hero,  with  a  friendly  smile.  "  Mr.  Andrews  tells  me  that 
you,  too,  are  bound  for  Somaliland,  and  have  suggested  ac- 
companying me.     I  need  not  say  that  I  shall  be  delighted, 

32 


The  Gun-Runners 

for  it  would  be  dreary  work  to  go  alone.  But  I  would  do  it 
if  necessary ;  for  my  father's  life  depends  upon  my  going." 

"  Quite  so,  and  that  is  just  where  we  shall  agree,"  was  the 
ready  answer ;  "  for  you  must  understand  that  I  am  a  secret 

agent,  an  Intelligence  officer,  as  we  are  often  called,  and 

But  one  minute.  Are  we  alone,  Andrews?  For  my  news  is 
of  great  importance,  and  if  your  native  servants  were  to 
obtain  an  inkling  of  it,  the  tidings  would  fly  at  once,  and 
reach  the  ears  of  the  Mullah  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of 
time.  It  is  a  fact,"  he  continued,  noticing  the  look  of  surprise 
with  which  Jim  greeted  his  remark.  "  Our  dusky  friend  has  a 
perfect  system  of  espionage,  which  would  shame  that  of  many 
a  European  country.  Tales  of  a  coming  expedition  told 
across  the  dinner-table  in  these  bungalows  are  whispered  in 
the  native  bazaars  before  a  day  has  gone,  and  I  speak  only 
the  truth  when  I  say  that  the  first  ship  for  Berbera  or  the 
Somali  coast,  whether  it  be  a  steamer,  a  native  dhow,  or  a 
rascally  gun-runner,  bears  a  man  whose  duty  it  is  to  pass  on 
his  information  to  the  Mullah.  Why,  he  knows  well  that  the 
British  Government  is  now  buying  camels  here  and  training 
and  equipping  a  native  levy  at  Berbera.  Our  camp  there  is 
full  of  spies,  and  I  do  not  exaggerate  when  I  tell  you  that  the 
movements  of  our  troops  are  known  by  the  Mullah  almost 
before  they  are  by  our  officers.  So,  take  my  advice,  and  go 
about  with  your  lips  closed  and  your  eyes  very  wide  open." 

Tom  Dixon  spoke  in  the  most  earnest  manner,  and  lifted 
his  finger,  as  if  thereby  to  impress  Jim  with  his  warning. 
And,  indeed,  he  was  making  no  erroneous  statement,  and 
telling  only  the  truth  when  he  described  the  extraordinary 
manner  in  which  news  is  conveyed  into  the  heart  of  Somali- 
land. 

"Make  your  mind  easy,   Tom,"   said  Mr.   Andrews,   re- 

33 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

assuringly,  stepping  across  the  verandah  to  look  into  the 
dining-room.  "  The  servants  are  all  on  the  other  side  of  the 
bungalow,  and  out  of  earshot,  so  that  you  may  speak  here 
without  fear  of  the  consequences,  and  chat  this  matter  over 
to  your  heart's  content.  But  your  warning  is  a  timely  one, 
and,  indeed,  has  only  forestalled  by  a  few  minutes  the  advice 
I  was  about  to  give  our  young  friend.  Ever  since  thU  matter 
cropped  up,  I  have  kept  it  a  dead  secret  between  myself  and 
the  British  Governor,  you,  of  course,  being  also  included.  I 
have  gone  so  far  as  to  set  aside  a  certain  number  of  camels  of 
the  trotting  and  of  the  transport  variety,  and  have  also 
engaged  some  fifty  followers.  They  were  despatched  from 
here  a  month  ago  for  the  service  of  the  Government.  But 
this  is  a  more  urgent  matter,  and,  with  the  Governor's 
permission,  I  have  arranged  that  you  shall  have  them.  When 
you  arrive  at  Berbera,  you  will  find  them  all  encamped  out- 
side the  town.  Ali  Kumar,  a  shikari  of  noted  reputation, 
and  a  trustworthy  fellow,  will  be  there  to  head  the  followers 
and  guide  you  through  the  country,  while  some  twenty  miles 
along  the  coast  is  a  village  in  which  lives  the  man  who  gave 
information  about  the  survivor  of  the  wreck.  I  have  pur- 
posely refrained  from  engaging  him  in  any  capacity,  but  my 
agent  at  Berbera  has  seen  him,  and  has  informed  him  that 
a  relative  of  the  survivor  will  come  to  speak  with  him.  That 
means  reward,  or  '  backsheesh,'  as  these  Somali  fellows  know 
it,  and  you  may  be  sure  that  he  will  not  fail  you." 

"  Splendid !  "  exclaimed  Jim.  "  Then,  thanks  to  your  kind- 
ness and  forethought,  there  will  be  little  or  no  delay,  and,  so 
far  as  I  can  see,  the  weapons  and  ammunition  which  are 
coming  from  England  are  the  only  things  that  can  keep  us 
waiting,  and  my  uncle  promised  that  they  should  be  here 
within  a  few  days  of  my  arrival.     What  luck,  too,  to  have 

34 


The  Gun-Runners 

got  hold  of  Ali  Kumar,  for  he  is  the  very  man  I  was  told  to 


engage." 


"  I  know  him  well,  and  can  tell  you  that  he  is  a  capital 
fellow,"  answered  Mr.  Andrews.  "  But  to  continue  my  story. 
All  these  preparations  have  been  made  in  the  quietest  and 
most  secret  manner  possible.  Once  you  and  Tom  arrive  at 
Berbera,  you  have  only  to  ride  out  to  this  camp.  Then,  when 
night  falls,  you  can  slip  away  and  march  along  the  coast. 
There  is  a  headland,  forty  miles  east  of  Berbera,  where  you 
had  better  camp  for  a  few  days,  keeping  a  bright  look-out  for 
a  certain  native  dhow,  which  will  bring  you  your  rifles, 
ammunition,  and  stores.  By  acting  in  this  way,  you  will  be 
able  to  leave  the  coast  for  the  interior  without  anyone  being 
aware  of  your  intentions — at  least,  I  hope  you  may.  Tom 
and  I  have  talked  the  matter  over,  for  he  is  as  anxious  as 
you  to  get  away  without  the  news  reaching  the  Mullah's 


ears." 


"  Just  so,"  interposed  Tom.  "  You  see,  Hubbard,  your 
search  will  carry  you  into  the  very  heart  of  the  Mullah's 
country,  and  as  I  am  anxious  to  obtain  full  information  of 
his  doings,  I,  too,  am  bound  in  that  direction.  If  he  had  the 
slightest  notion  of  our  intentions,  you  may  be  sure  that  he 
would  do  his  utmost  to  murder  the  whole  lot  of  us,  and  so  it 
is  of  great  importance  to  keep  him  in  ignorance.  This  is 
your  expedition,  but  I  propose  that  we  share  expenses,  and 
the  command  also,  if  you  like.  You  see,  I  have  spent  many 
years  on  the  coast,  and  speak  the  language  like  a  native — a 
useful  accomplishment  for  the  job  we  have  in  hand.  But  I'm 
not  a  bit  of  a  soldier,  and  when  it  comes  to  fighting  I  shall 
have  to  look  to  you  to  pull  us  through.  Nominally,  you  will 
be  in  charge  of  the  expedition,  but  I  think  that  by  putting 
our  heads  together  we  shall  get  along  with  greater  success." 

35 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"I  quite  agree  with  you,"  responded  Jim,  thoughtfully; 
"  the  fact  that  you  speak  the  language  will  be  of  the  greatest 
service,  and  as  this  expedition  is  to  suit  your  purpose  as  well 
as  mine,  I  feel  sure  that  we  shall  not  fall  out  when  difficulties 
arise.  But  there  is  one  thing  I  wish  to  say.  I  must  not  have 
my  movements  hampered  in  any  way,  for  it  may  turn  out  that 
news  of  my  father  will  reach  us  as  soon  as  we  get  into  the 
interior.  Perhaps,  even,  we  may  have  the  good  fortune  to 
rescue  him  at  once,  and  in  that  case,  my  mission  being  ended, 
I  should  return  to  the  coast  immediately." 

"  And  I  should  not  attempt  to  dissuade  you,"  said  Tom 
Dixon,  with  a  smile.  "  If  by  that  time  I  had  not  obtained 
information  of  the  utmost  value,  it  would  be  my  own  fault 
entirely;  and  besides,  supposing  you  were  to  rescue  your 
father,  I  think  there  is  but  little  doubt  that  we  should 
find  it  necessary  to  retire  at  once — in  fact,  to  make  a  bolt  for 
our  lives,  for  the  Mullah  has  a  reputation  for  fierceness,  and 
would  not  easily  forgive  our  boldness. 

"  But  I  have  something  else  to  tell  you,  which  may  cause 
you  to  prick  up  your  ears.  It  has  come  to  my  knowledge  that 
a  rascal  here  is  about  to  ship  a  load  of  guns  across  to  Somali- 
land.  Would  you  care  to  join  me  in  an  attempt  to  capture 
him?  It  would  be  a  risky  business,  I  tell  you  candidly,  but  if 
we  are  successful,  it  would  be  a  glorious  adventure.  You 
need  not  be  afraid  that  it  will  delay  us,  for  my  plan  is  to 
ship  aboard  as  a  hand,  and  wait  until  close  to  the  African 
coast.  Then  matters  must  depend  upon  circumstances.  I 
shall  endeavour  to  give  warning  to  one  of  the  British  gun- 
boats stationed  in  these  waters,  and  in  that  case  should  allow 
myself  to  be  taken  prisoner  without  saying  a  word.  But  it 
is  just  possible  that  I  may  be  unable  to  ascertain  the  exact 
destination  for  which  we  are  bound,  and  in  that  case  should 

36 


The  Gun-Runners 

have  to  take  my  chance  of  capturing  the  dhow  single-handed, 
or  of  looking  on  quietly  while  the  guns  were  handed  over  to 
the  Mullah's  emissaries.  If  you  were  with  me,  we  could 
make  a  grand  fight  of  it,  for  these  dhows  seldom  have  more 
than  four  men  aboard.  Sometimes,  of  course,  they  carry  a 
bigger  crew,  and  if  it  were  to  turn  out  like  that,  we  should 
have  to  alter  our  plans." 

"  But  how  am  I  to  be  smuggled  aboard  ? "  asked  Jim, 
eagerly,  delighted  at  the  thought  of  such  an  adventure.  "  I 
don't  speak  the  language,  and  should  certainly  be  spotted 
the  very  moment  I  set  foot  upon  the  vessel." 

"  I  don't  think  so,"  responded  Tom  Dixon,  emphatically. 
<{  The  natives  in  these  parts  do  all  sorts  of  curious  things, 
and  it  has  just  struck  me  that,  by  pretending  that  you  have 
made  a  vow,  you  can  get  over  this  difficulty.  We'll  give  it  out 
that  we  come  from  some  Somali  tribe  which  is  friendly  to  the 
Mullah,  and  that  we  are  willing  to  lend  a  hand  in  loading 
and  unloading  the  dhow  in  return  for  our  passage.  I  shall 
say  that  you  have  sworn  never  to  speak  until  you  have  made 
a  pilgrimage  to  Mecca.  That  is  no  uncommon  vow,  and 
amongst  these  fanatical  people  will  raise  you  to  their  highest 
estimation." 

"  It  sounds  a  likely  story,"  cried  Jim,  "  and  I'll  come  with 
you.  When  do  you  propose  to  start  %  And  when  are  we  likely 
to  arrive  on  the  Somali  coast  ?  " 

"  That  I  cannot  say,  but  I  believe  the  dhow  will  sail  within 
a  couple  of  days,  and  two  more  should  take  us  across  the 
water.     Then  much  depends  upon  how  matters  turn  out." 

"  It's  a  risky  business,"  said  Mr.  Andrews,  who  had  listened 
attentively  all  the  while.  "  But  I  won't  try  to  dissuade  you, 
Hubbard,  for  the  danger  is  no  greater  than  you  will  en- 
counter in  Somaliland,  and  I  think  the  experience  you  will 

37 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

get  will  help  you  in  your  search.  It  may  turn  out  that  by 
going  upon  this  dhow  you  will  come  across  a  native  who  knows 
of  your  father.  In  that  case  the  risk  will  not  have  been  taken 
for  nothing,  for  you  can  rely  upon  it  that  Tom  will  worm 
his  secrets  out.  Our  friend  is  a  thorough  native,  and  I  only 
tell  you  the  bare  truth  when  I  say  that  his  get-up  and  be- 
haviour are  marvellous.  You  see,  his  father  was  stationed 
here  for  many  years,  and  Tom  has  made  the  most  of  his 
opportunities." 

"  That  is  so,"  said  Tom.  "  I  used  to  be  awfully  fond  of 
dressing  up  as  a  native  and  going  down  to  the  bazaar.  Once 
or  twice  my  disguise  was  discovered,  and  if  I  hadn't  taken  to 
my  heels,  I  should  have  come  in  for  some  rough  handling. 
But  that  is  a  very  old  tale,  and  I  have  played  the  trick  so 
often  now  that,  when  in  native  costume,  I  feel  and  act  the 
part  with  assurance.  Indeed,  I  often  forget  that  I  am  an 
Englishman,  so  absorbed  do  I  become,  and  many  and  many  a 
time  have  I  come  from  the  bazaars  primed  with  a  piece  of 
information  that  has  proved  of  service  to  our  Governor.  And 
it  is  on  that  account  that  I  have  been  employed  as  an  Intelli- 
gence officer.  But  you'll  come,  then,  Hubbard?  That  is 
splendid,  for,  with  you  to  help  me,  I  shall  hope  to  bag  these 
fellows.  I  propose  that  you  remain  here  till  this  evening, 
and  then,  when  the  servants  have  retired  after  dinner,  walk 
down  the  garden  to  the  gate.  I'll  be  there  to  meet  you,  and 
together  we'll  go  to  my  place.  Mr.  Andrews  will  look  after 
your  things  here,  and  will  send  them  over  in  the  ship  he 
spoke  of." 

Tom  Dixon  now  rose,  and,  after  chatting  for  a  few 
moments  with  his  friends,  departed.  For  more  than  an  hour 
Jim  and  Mr.  Andrews  sat  on  the  verandah,  talking  in  low 
tunes,  for  there  were  many  points  to  be  arranged.    Then  Jim 

38 


The  Gun-Runners 

went  to  his  room,  and  wrote  a  long  letter  to  his  uncle,  telling 
him  all  that  was  about  to  occur,  and  describing  the  prepara- 
tions which  Mr.  Andrews  had  made  for  his  expedition. 

"  And  now,  as  weapons  will  be  required,  I'll  look  to  my 
revolvers,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  I  am  very  glad  that  I  spent 
the  time  on  board  ship  practising,  for  until  then  I  had  never 
fired  anything  but  a  toy  pistol.  Now,  however,  I  can  feel 
fairly  sure  of  putting  a  bullet  into  a  man  at  ten  yards'  range, 
and,  as  they  are  heavy  revolvers,  that  should  be  quite  enough 
to  stop  him.  I  have  heard  that  these  natives  are  very  hardy, 
and  will  stand  far  more  knocking  about  than  the  average 
individual,  but  I've  a  notion  that  if  I  were  to  hit  the  hardiest 
of  them  plump  with  one  of  these  big  bullets  he  would  not 
require  any  more." 

Unpacking  his  revolvers,  he  set  to  work  to  clean  and 
thoroughly  overhaul  them.  Then  wrapping  them  in  a  towel, 
together  with  a  small  box  of  ammunition,  he  placed  them  in 
one  of  his  trunks  until  it  was  time  to  join  Tom  Dixon.  Then 
he  set  to  work  to  look  through  his  possessions,  and  so  absorbed 
did  he  become  in  the  occupation  that  he  did  not  notice  the 
time  slipping  by,  and,  when  dinner  was  announced,  could 
scarcely  believe  that  it  was  already  evening. 

An  hour  later,  having  said  good-bye  to  Mr.  Andrews,  he 
left  the  bungalow,  with  his  bundle  under  his  arm.  When  he 
emerged  from  the  gate  of  the  compound,  he  was  joined  by 
Tom  Dixon. 

"  That  you  ? "  asked  Tom,  in  a  low  voice. 

"Yes;  here  I  am,"  answered  Jim. 

"  Then  come  along,  old  chap.  We  had  better  walk  along 
silently,  for  I  know  these  natives  well,  and  caution  in  such 
matters  pays.  For  instance,  it's  quite  likely  that  someone  is 
following  you,  just  to  see  where  you  are  going.    The  natives 

39 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

are  the  most  curious  people  under  the  sun,  and  will  take  no 
end  of  trouble  over  a  little  matter  like  this.  But  we'll  soon 
see.     Come  down  here." 

Catching  Jim  by  the  sleeve,  Tom  Dixon  suddenly  drew 
him  into  the  deep  shadow  of  a  palm  which  grew  close  at  hand, 
and  whispered  to  him  to  crouch  low  upon  the  ground.  Ten 
minutes  later  their  caution  was  rewarded,  for  a  dusky  figure 
crept  silently  past  them,  and  disappeared  in  the  darkness. 

"  We'll  give  him  five  minutes  to  get  well  away,"  said  Tom, 
"  and  then  we'll  move  off  in  the  opposite  direction,  and  get 
to  my  place  by  a  different  route.  I  dare  say  all  this  secrecy 
seems  unnecessary  to  you,  but  you've  heard  my  warning." 

"  It  does  seem  strange,"  Jim  agreed,  in  a  whisper. 
"  Coming  from  old  England,  where  everything  is  so  free  and 
open,  one  is  at  first  at  a  loss  to  understand  the  need  for  all  this 
secrecy;  but  after  what  you  have  told  me,  I  can  fully  believe 
that  our  plans  might  easily  be  ruined,  unless  we  kept  them  to 
ourselves.  That  fellow  creeping  after  us  just  now  is  an 
object-lesson  which  I  shall  not  easily  forget." 

When  sufficient  time  had  elapsed  to  make  it  certain  that 
there  was  no  fear  of  detection,  the  two  rose  to  their  feet  again, 
and  leaving  the  shadow  of  the  tree,  went  off  in  the  opposite 
direction.  In  some  twenty  minutes'  time  they  arrived  at  the 
outskirts  of  the  town  of  Aden,  and,  pausing  to  make  sure 
that  they  were  unobserved,  entered  a  narrow  doorway,  which 
led  to  the  interior  of  a  native  house. 

"  Ten  paces  to  your  front,  and  then  stop,"  whispered  Tom. 
"  Now  follow  me  closely,  and  take  care  that  the  door  does  not 
bang  in  your  face." 

There  was  the  creak  of  rusty  hinges,  and  the  snap  of  a  lock 
being  pushed  back.  Then,  guided  by  Tom's  hand,  Jim  found 
himself  descending  a  flight  of  rickety  stairs,  which  groaned 

40 


The  Gun-Runners 

beneath  his  weight,  and  threatened  to  deposit  him  with  more 
swiftness  than  was  quite  agreeable  in  the  room  below.  A 
minute  later  a  match  flickered  before  his  eyes,  and  he  saw 
Tom  applying  it  to  a  candle,  which  quickly  burned  up  and 
allowed  him  to  take  note  of  his  surroundings.  To  his  astonish- 
ment he  found  himself  in  a  comfortably-furnished  room,  with 
a  tiny  bed  in  one  corner.  There  was  a  washhand-stand 
against  the  wall,  and  a  couple  of  basket-chairs,  while  a  big- 
chest  stood  beneath  a  tiny  window,  which  admitted  light  and 
air  to  the  room  during  the  day,  but  which  was  now  curtained 
with  thick  material. 

"  Not  exactly  a  model  dwelling,  or  the  kind  of  place  that  a 
European  would  choose  for  his  residence  in  this  hot  climate," 
said  Tom,  with  a  laugh,  "  but  it  has  the  great  advantage  of 
obscurity.  This  is  really  part  of  a  disused  building,  and  it 
was  whilst  consorting  with  a  gang  of  rogues,  whose  secrets  I 
was  endeavouring  to  ascertain,  that  I  accidentally  discovered 
it.  I  at  once  saw  that  it  was  the  very  place  for  me,  and 
promptly  set  about  putting  it  in  order.  You  see,  I  am 
supposed  to  be  a  kind  of  clerk  to  the  Governor,  though  my 
duties  in  that  way  are  purely  nominal.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
I  turn  up  every  now  and  again  with  bundles  of  papers  in  my 
hand,  and  have  an  audience  with  my  chief.  But  the  official- 
looking  documents  are  a  fraud,  and  my  conversation  has  no 
reference  to  them.  But  to  return  to  this  room.  I've  the 
share  of  a  bungalow  elsewhere,  and  when  about  to  undertake 
one  of  my  spying  adventures,  I  slip  away  from  there  during 
the  night,  for  all  the  world  like  a  thief,  and  find  my  way  to 
this  place.  That  chest  is  full  of  disguises,  stains,  and  paints, 
and  it  takes  but  little  more  than  an  hour  to  transform  myself 
into  a  worthy  Parsee,  a  race  of  men  engaged  in  trade  in  Aden. 
More  often  I  leave  this  place  as  a  simple  coolie,  and  at  times 

4i 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

I  have  appeared  in  more  disreputable  attire,  such  as  is  worn 
by  the  budmashes,  or  criminal  class  of  the  town.  Look 
here!" 

Taking  the  candle  with  him,  he  went  across  the  room  to 
where  the  chest  stood,  and  slipped  in  a  key.  Throwing  open 
the  lid,  he  disclosed  a  neatly  packed  interior,  with  a  shallow 
tray  at  one  end,  which  contained  a  number  of  wigs  and  hirsute 
adornments  for  the  face. 

"  My  stock-in-trade,"  said  Tom,  with  some  degree  of 
pride.  "  It  has  taken  me  a  long  time  to  collect  them,  and 
so  important  do  I  consider  the  question  of  wigs,  that  I've 
gone  to  enormous  trouble  to  provide  myself  with  all  those  you 
see.  After  all,  clothes  are  easily  purchased.  One  has  merely 
to  go  into  the  bazaars,  and  one  will  easily  find  every  variety 
of  garb  worn  by  the  natives  in  these  parts.  With  the  hair  it 
is  a  different  matter,  and  to  obtain  exactly  what  I  wanted  I 
have  been  compelled  to  make  every  one  of  those  little  articles 
myself,  for  the  slightest  mistake  in  get-up  would  lead  to 
discovery,  and  most  likely  to  death.  But  take  a  seat,  and  let 
us  decide  how  we  are  going  to  act." 

Throwing  himself  upon  the  bed,  Tom  motioned  Jim  to 
one  of  the  chairs,  and  then  lay  at  full  length,  his  hands 
behind  his  head,  and  his  eyes  fixed  upon  a  patch  of  dingy 
light  thrown  by  the  flickering  candle  upon  the  ceiling  above. 
As  for  Jim,  he  sat  back  in  his  chair,  lost  in  wonderment. 
Indeed,  when  he  came  to  think  the  matter  over,  he  could 
scarcely  believe  that  less  than  three  weeks  had  passed  since 
the  first  news  of  the  wreck  had  reached  his  ears.  Then 
he  was  just  a  schoolboy,  on  the  threshold  of  life,  with  no 
higher  aim  than  to  go  up  for  his  examination,  and  win 
a  commission  in  the  Army.  In  the  meanwhile  no  worry 
troubled  his  mind,  and  all  his  spare  hours  were  taken  up  in 

42 


The  Gun-Runners 

an  endeavour  to  excel  in  games,  for  he  was  passionately  fond 
of  exercise  in  any  form.  And  now,  in  a  moment  it  seemed, 
he  had  been  transported  into  a  different  life — into  a  different 
world  indeed.  Who  could  have  dreamt  that  those  few  short 
days  would  have  made  such  a  difference  to  him,  would  have 
brought  him  all  those  miles  across  the  sea,  to  face  dangers 
and  difficulties  the  extent  of  which  he  could  scarcely  con- 
ceive ! 

"  And  here  I  am,  a  regular  conspirator,"  he  said  to  him- 
self, looking  about  the  room,  "  and  bound  upon  an  adventure 
which,  from  all  I  can  gather,  will  afford  considerable  excite- 
ment. But  I've  thought  the  matter  out  carefully,  and  believe 
that  I  am  justified  in  entering  upon  it,  for,  who  knows  but 
that  it  may  turn  out  an  advantage  in  the  end !  If  these  gun- 
runners are  in  league  with  the  Mullah,  it  stands  to  reason 
that  they  know  something  of  his  movements,  and  as  white 
prisoners  are  seldom  or  never  taken,  the  fact  that  the  survivor 
of  the  wreck  fell  into  his  hands  will  have  reached  their  ears. 
Perhaps,  too,  they  are  even  aware  of  father's  exact  where- 
abouts, and  if  only  Tom  can  worm  the  secret  out  of  them, 
we  shall  be  saved  enormous  trouble,  and  very  likely  a  large 
proportion  of  risk;  for,  in  that  case,  we  should  march  into 
the  interior  as  rapidly  as  possible,  choosing  night  for  our 
movements,  and  hiding  up  amongst  the  sand-dunes  and  hills 
during  the  day.  Then,  when  we  got  within  striking  distance, 
we  should  mount  our  trotting  camels,  and  make  a  dash  for  the 
place.  If  we  were  successful,  I  should  abandon  the  transport 
animals  and  our  baggage,  so  as  to  enable  us  to  retire  to  the 
coast  at  all  speed. 

"  But  that  is  hoping  for  too  much,"  he  continued.  "  This 
business  is  going  to  be  no  ordinary  affair,  and  before  we  are 
successful  we  shall  be  compelled  to  face  no  end  of  difficulties. 

43 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

But  all  the  better,  if  in  the  end  we  are  able  to  carry  out  our 
purpose." 

For  quite  five  minutes  Jim  sat  there  silently,  lost  in 
thought,  while  Tom  lay  upon  the  bed,  still  staring  at  the 
dingy  ceiling,  as  if,  indeed,  he  could  see  there  a  plan  which 
would  be  likely  to  prove  of  service  when  endeavouring  to 
capture  the  dhow. 

"  I  can  see  my  way  quite  easily,"  he  said  aloud,  as  if 
addressing  himself  to  no  one  in  particular.  "  At  first,  of 
course,  I  shall  have  to  find  out  where  the  dhow  lies,  but  an 
hour  or  two  spent  in  the  bazaar  will  soon  set  the  matter  at 
rest.  That  done,  we  shall  have  to  obtain  a  passage  aboard  her, 
but  there  again  I  fancy  things  will  be  easily  arranged.  I'll 
get  into  casual  conversation  with  some  fellow  who  seems  to 
know  the  destination  of  the  craft,  and  I'll  drop,  as  if  by 
accident,  a  few  words  which  will  let  him  know  that  I  am  a 
friend  of  the  Mullah.  These  natives  are  well  aware  of  the 
risk  they  incur  in  these  gun-running  expeditions,  and  I've  no 
doubt  that  hands  are  difficult  to  obtain.  If  that  is  the  case, 
they  will  jump  at  our  services,  and  we  shall  soon  find  our- 
selves installed  upon  the  dhow.  After  that  the  outlook  is 
uncertain." 

"  Bound  to  be !  "  exclaimed  Jim,  emphatically.  "  That's 
just  where  the  risk  comes  in.  But  it  would  be  a  fine  thing 
to  hold  them  up,  and  to  capture  the  vessel  and  its  con- 
tents." 

"  By  George,  it  would !  You're  right,  Jim,  and  we  will 
do  it,"  cried  Tom  enthusiastically,  swinging  himself  into  a 
sitting  position.  "  Look  here,  I've  been  going  over  all  the 
points,  and  I've  come  to  the  conclusion  that  our  best  plan 
will  be  to  do  as  I  have  just  said.  Just  you  lie  down  there 
and  have  a  snooze,  while  I  get  into  the  proper  togs  and  go 

44 


The  Gun-Runners 

out  to  the  bazaar.  Then  we  shall  be  able  to  start  for  the 
dhow  to-morrow  morning-,  without  delay." 

"  I'd  like  to  come,  too,  if  it  could  be  arranged,"  said  Jim 
eagerly.  "  You  see,  I  have  to  get  used  to  the  dress  of  a 
native,  and  shall  feel  far  more  sure  of  myself  if  my  first 
attempt  is  made  while  it  is  dark." 

"  Then  come  along.  Just  hop  out  of  your  things  as 
quickly  as  you  can,  while  I  do  the  same.  Then  we'll  apply 
the  stain  to  our  bodies,  and  dress  ourselves  in  the  robes 
usually  worn  by  natives  from  the  interior  of  Somaliland." 

Both  at  once  proceeded  to  undress,  and  that  done,  Tom 
dived  to  the  bottom  of  the  chest,  and  produced  a  carefully 
stoppered  jar,  and  a  big  brush,  composed  of  the  silkiest  hair. 
With  this  he  at  once  proceeded  to  paint  Jim  from  head  to 
foot,  and  when  that  operation  was  concluded,  the  latter  took 
the  brush  and  did  the  same  for  his  companion.  Another  dive 
into  the  chest  produced  an  earthen  pot.  This  contained  a 
dark,  oily  liquid,  which  was  freely  applied  to  the  hair  and 
eyebrows. 

"  Hum !  Doesn't  smell  over-pleasant,"  remarked  Jim,  with 
a  grimace.    "  It  has  a  most  peculiarly  pungent  odour." 

"  Oh,  you'll  get  used  to  it  in  time,"  was  the  laughing 
rejoinder.  "  But  I  can  assure  you  that  it  is  very  necessary, 
and  quite  typical  of  the  Somali  people.  There  are  your 
sandals.  Slip  your  toes  into  the  tags,  and  walk  across  the 
floor.    No,  not  that  way,  but  like  this,  shuffling  along." 

Slipping  a  pair  on  to  his  own  feet,  Tom  strode  swiftly  up 
and  down  the  room,  imitating  a  native,  and  would  not  be 
satisfied  until  Jim  was  able  to  do  precisely  the  same. 

"  Now  watch  me  put  on  this  head-gear,"  he  said,  taking  a 
long  fold  of  snowy  linen,  and  beginning  to  wrap  it  about  his 
temples.    He  then  produced  a  light  belt  of  webbing,  to  which 

45 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

two  holsters  were  made  fast,  and  proceeded  to  buckle  it  about 
his  waist,  tossing  a  second  to  Jim  for  his  own  use.  A  minute 
or  two  later  he  had  wound  a  long  cloak  of  linen  about  his 
body,  contriving,  however,  to  leave  one  ami  and  half  his 
breast  bare,  while  his  legs  were  visible  from  the  knee  down- 
wards. Then  revolvers  were  placed  in  the  holsters,  a  small 
pouch  filled  with  ammunition,  and  a  long  and  spiteful  dagger 
thrust  through  the  belt,  and  arranged  so  that  the  handle  just 
peeped  out  through  the  clothing.  A  second  and  shorter 
weapon  was  attached  to  the  inside  of  the  left  arm,  and  thus 
equipped,  Tom  placed  himself  before  a  wide  strip  of  looking- 
glass  which  was  nailed  against  the  wall,  and  having  put  the 
candle  in  position,  so  that  its  light  fell  full  upon  him,  began 
to  survey  himself  critically. 

It  was  evident  that  he  was  satisfied,  for  he  smiled  at  his 
own  image,  displaying  a  set  of  teeth  which  looked  particularly 
white,  now  that  his  features  were  stained. 

"  And  now  for  you,"  he  said.  "  I  want  you  to  dress  yourself 
from  head  to  foot  just  as  I  have  done,  for,  remember,  you 
may  have  to  do  so  before  the  natives,  and  if  you  bungled,  then 
you  would  certainly  be  discovered." 

Twenty  minutes  later  the  candle  was  extinguished,  and 
the  two  crept  up  the  creaking  staircase  and  went  out.  Then, 
with  long,  shuffling  strides,  which  carried  them  quickly  over 
the  ground,  they  made  their  way  towards  the  native  bazaar. 

"  Eemember  your  role,"  whispered  Tom,  as  they  approached 
the  line  of  squalid  huts  and  booths  which  formed  the  native 
market.  "  Not  a  sound  is  to  escape  your  lips.  If  you  are 
addressed,  make  no  answer,  but  turn  away  angrily,  waving 
your  arm.  Should  the  man  persist,  turn  upon  him,  but 
beware  that  you  do  not  touch  your  weapons,  for  to  do  so 
would  be  fatal.    Of  course,  if  you  are  discovered,  you  must 

46 


The  Gun-Runners 

make  a  fight  of  it;  but  we'll  hope  that  it  is  not  coming  to 
that." 

Walking  side  by  side,  the  two  were  soon  in  the  midst  of 
the  bazaar,  and  Jim  was  interested  to  see  how  these  Eastern 
people  behaved.  Lights  twinkled  in  the  various  booths,  and 
dusky  natives  were  gathered  in  knots  here  and  there.  Some 
sat  silently,  but  the  majority  were  conversing  in  the  most 
excited  and  voluble  manner.  Indeed,  they  might  very  well 
have  been  engaged  in  a  squabble,  so  exaggerated  were  their 
movements.  Suddenly,  on  turning  a  corner,  the  two  adven- 
turers came  upon  a  circle  of  men  squatting  about  a  brazier, 
and  singing  a  weird  song  to  the  accompaniment  of  a  tom-tom. 
As  they  came  into  the  firelight,  one  of  the  natives  caught 
sight  of  them,  and  called  loudly  to  them. 

"  Come  hither  and  join  us,  brothers,"  he  shouted.  "  Here 
we  shall  make  room  for  you." 

He  shuffled  to  one  side,  those  who  were  close  at  hand  doing 
the  same,  until  a  sufficiently  wide  gap  was  left  in  the  circle. 

"  Come  on,"  whispered  Tom ;  and  straightway,  shouting  his 
pleasure,  he  went  towards  the  place,  Jim  following  closely 
upon  his  heels.  To  hesitate  would  have  been  to  arouse  instant 
suspicion,  and  therefore,  watching  closely  to  see  how  his 
comrade  acted,  our  hero  joined  the  circle  and  squatted  in 
native  fashion.  It  was  a  trying  ordeal  for  a  lad  who  had  but 
recently  left  school,  and  though  he  fought  against  the  feeling 
of  excitement,  almost  of  fear,  which  assailed  him,  he  was 
nevertheless  well  aware  that  his  heart  was  beating  like  a 
sledge-hammer  against  his  ribs,  and  that  his  pulses  were 
throbbing  almost  painfully.  But  he  was  not  the  lad  to  show 
the  white  feather,  and  remembering  his  determination  to  go 
through  with  the  adventure,  he  sat  stolidly,  staring  into  the 
glowing  brazier, 

47 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

A  song,  brother!  Allah  has  willed  it  that  you  should 
join  us  this  night,  and  we  would  hear  your  voice,"  shouted 
one  of  the  group,  stretching  out  a  lanky  arm  and  touching 
Jim  upon  the  knee. 

There  was  no  answer,  and,  to  the  astonishment  of  all  the 
natives  gathered  there,  the  stranger  who  had  been  bidden  to 
join  them  as  a  guest  still  kept  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  brazier. 
That  he  had  heard  they  were  certain,  for  an  involuntary  turn 
of  the  head  had  betrayed  that  fact.  At  once  shouts  of  anger 
arose,  and  the  man  who  had  spoken  sprang  to  his  feet. 


48 


CHAPTER   IV 

IN   DISGUISE 

For  the  moment  it  looked  as  though  the  expedition  upon 
which  Jim  and  his  friend  had  set  out  was  doomed  to  early 
disaster,  for  there  was  no  denying  the  fact  that  they  had 
unwittingly  aroused  the  anger  of  the  natives.  And  yet,  what 
could  they  do?  Passing  through  the  bazaar  in  their  search 
for  information,  an  evil  chance  had  brought  them  into  contact 
with  this  gathering,  and  they  had  found  themselves  compelled 
to  accept  the  unwelcome  invitation  to  join  the  circle  which  sat 
about  the  brazier.  And  now,  at  the  very  beginning,  indeed, 
within  less  than  a  minute  they  were  engaged  in  an  alterca- 
tion with  them.  Deeply  did  Jim  regret  the  fact  that  he  could 
not  speak  the  language,  for  had  he  been  able  to  do  so,  there 
would  have  been  no  need  for  silence,  and  no  need  to  ruffle  the 
feelings  of  the  gathering. 

It  was  a  dilemma,  and,  puzzle  his  brains  as  he  might,  he 
could  not  come  to  any  solution  that  would  help  him.  Instead, 
therefore,  he  sat  there  stolidly,  his  eyes  now  fixed  upon  the 
brazier,  and  then  turning  for  the  space  of  a  second  to  the 
man  who  confronted  him. 

"  Insolent !  How  dare  you  to  insult  us  so  ?  "  shouted  the 
native,  thrusting  his  hand  into  the  folds  of  his  waistcloth,  to 
withdraw  it  a  moment  later  clasping  the  handle  of  a  dagger. 
"  Dog !  "  he  continued,  springing  forward.  "  Speak,  or  I  will 
bury  this  blade  in  your  flesh." 

Meanwhile  the  other  natives  who  formed  the  gathering 

49 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

had  sprung  to  their  feet,  and  crowded  about  the  two  young 
Englishmen  with  threatening  gestures. 

"  Yes,"  they  shouted  angrily,  "  answer,  or  we  will  kill  you 
now,  and  throw  your  bodies  into  the  gutter." 

It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  coolness  with  which  Jim  and 
his  companion  acted.  Had  they  lost  their  presence  of  mind, 
and  sprung  to  their  feet  with  the  intention  of  escaping,  they 
would  have  been  instantly  cut  to  pieces,  for  they  were 
entirely  surrounded.  Indeed,  there  was  no  doubt  that  this 
was  a  situation  demanding  cunning  more  than  anything  else, 
and  both  recognized  that  fact  fully.  Seated,  therefore,  side 
by  side,  as  if  they  were  unaware  of  the  commotion  raging 
about  them,  Jim  still  looked  nonchalantly  into  the  flames,  as 
if,  indeed,  he  had  no  other  interest  in  life,  while  Tom  stared 
at  the  circle  of  angry  faces  with  the  utmost  calmness. 

"  Are  we,  then,  guests  or  dogs  ? "  he  demanded  quietly, 
letting  his  eyes  wander  from  one  to  the  other.  "  Was  it  not 
you  who  bade  us  join  your  circle?  Then  why  do  you  grumble 
if  one  of  us  is  a  man  who  will  keep  his  vow,  whatever  befalls  ? 
My  friend  and  I  have  come  here  from  Somaliland,  bound 
upon  an  expedition  to  Mecca.  But  ill  fortune  fell  upon  us, 
and  now  we  return  to  our  country  to  replenish  our  funds.  For 
my  part,  I  confess  that  I  am  disappointed,  but  my  comrade 
is  grieved  beyond  expression.  His  lips  are  closed,  and  his  ears 
deaf,  until  the  clay  when  he  completes  his  pilgrimage.  He 
has  sworn  it  by  Allah,  and  by  Allah  he  shall  keep  to  his  oath, 
even  though  thousands  attempt  to  dissuade  him.  Take  your 
places,  then,  again,  I  beg  of  you,  and  let  us  be  friends,  for  we 
are  deserving  of  your  kindness." 

The  words,  spoken  quietly  as  they  were,  acted  like  oil  upon 
troubled  waters.  Scarcely  had  they  left  Tom  Dixon's  lips, 
when  the  excitement  of  the  angry  natives  disappeared  even 

5o 


THE   NATIVES   CROWDED   ABOUT   THEM    WITH    THREATENING 

GESTURES. 


In  Disguise 


more  rapidly  than  it  had  arisen.  For  a  moment  only  they 
looked  incredulously  at  one  another,  and  then,  saluting  Jim 
with  the  utmost  respect,  they  took  their  places  again  shame- 
facedly. 

"We  meant  no  harm,  brothers,"  said  the  first  speaker, 
apologetically.  "  Forgive  us,  if  we  spoke  angrily  and  in  some 
haste,  but  the  occasion  demanded  instant  explanation,  and, 
now  that  you  have  given  it,  we  are  fully  satisfied.  More  than 
that,  it  is  an  honour  to  us  to  know  that  there  sits  in  our  circle 
in  friendship  with  us  one  who  has  made  such  a  vow,  and  who 
refuses  to  break  his  oath  in  spite  of  any  danger.  I  watched 
him  carefully  as  I  advanced  upon  him  with  my  drawn  weapon, 
but  he  did  not  flinch,  did  not  even  turn  aside,  or  raise  an  arm 
to  ward  off  the  blow  which  might  well  have  fallen.  More- 
over, he  allowed  no  sound  to  escape  his  lips,  and,  true  to  his 
word,  and  to  the  holy  task  which  he  has  set  himself,  sat  there 
unmoved,  prepared  to  die  rather  than  cry  out  for  mercy. 
It    is    marvellous    the    strength   that    Allah   gives    to    such 


men." 


"  Yes,  it  is  a  great  thing,"  chimed  in  an  aged  native,  who 
sat  crouching  over  the  brazier,  as  if  to  absorb  all  its  warmth ; 
"  and  in  Aden  here  not  one  in  ten  thousand  is  capable  of 
making  and  keeping  such  a  vow.  It  is  only  men  from  Somali- 
land  who  are  brave  enough  to  do  such  a  thing.  Our  brother 
has  just  told  us  that  we  are  honoured ;  we  are  more  than  that, 
for  these  guests  of  ours  are  friends  of  the  Mullah,  a  holy  man, 
who  has  made  many  pilgrimages  to  Mecca,  and  who  will  yet 
be  king  of  the  country  which  lies  yonder  across  the  sea." 

He  pointed  towards  the  harbour,  and  looked  round  at  his 
companions. 

"  Yes,"  they  agreed  in  guttural  tones,  "  the  Mullah  is  a 
great  man,  and  will  be  even  more  powerful." 

51 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  We  can  speak  openly,"  continued  the  old  man,  "  for 
there  are  none  but  friends  here,  and  no  Hindoos  are  within 
hearing.  How  thrives  the  Mullah  ?  "  he  went  on,  addressing 
Tom.  "Does  he  know  that  the  English  are  preparing  to 
march  against  him  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  is  fully  aware  of  it,"  answered  the  latter,  quietly, 
"  and  will  meet  them  in  battle.  But  at  present  he  is  fearful 
of  defeat,  for  though  his  soldiers  are  numerous,  they  are 
poorly  armed,  and  for  the  most  part  carry  only  shields  and 
spears.  Guns  are  what  he  wants,  and  he  is  prepared  to  pay 
well  for  them.  Indeed,  he  bade  us  on  our  return  to  make 
enquiries  here,  and  endeavour  to  induce  some  of  the  wealthy 
merchants  who  are  friendly  to  him  to  send  him  a  ship-load  of 
weapons  and  ammunition.  We  believe  that  such  a  ship  has 
lately  sailed,  or  will  shortly  leave  this  shore,  but  we  are  un- 
certain. We  have  been  to  more  than  one  of  those  who  live  in 
this  town,  and  are  friendly  to  us,  but  they  will  do  nothing 
until  silver  is  placed  in  their  hands,  and  of  that  we  have 
absolutely  none.  However,  once  we  can  get  a  passage  across 
to  Somaliland,  we  shall  be  able  to  replenish  our  store,  and 
shall  return  immediately." 

"  And  how  knows  your  friend  of  this  arrangement?  "  asked 
the  old  man  suspiciously,  glancing  sharply  at  Jim.  "  If  he 
has  made  a  vow  not  to  speak,  how  can  he  have  discussed  this 
matter  with  you? " 

The  question  was  a  shrewd  one,  and  at  once  set  the  whole 
circle  of  natives  staring  hard  at  their  guests. 

tl  Yes,  how  can  he  have  learnt  of  this  plan  ?  "  cried  an- 
other, rising  to  his  feet,  and  waving  his  arms  excitedly. 
"  You  say  that  you  have  been  to  many  in  the  town,  and  have 
questioned  them  concerning  arms  for  the  Mullah.  Then  this 
vow  of  which  your  comrade  boasts  is  one  made  to  be  broken 

52 


In  Disguise 

or  kept  at  will.  Perhaps  he  is  a  spy  come  here  to  learn  our 
secrets." 

His  words  at  once  brought  the  whole  gathering  of  natives 
to  their  feet,  and  again,  such  is  the  excitability  of  these 
Eastern  people,  they  crowded  threateningly  about  their  guests, 
calling  loudly  for  an  explanation.  But  Jim  and  his  friend 
were  equal  to  the  occasion.  The  former  was  certainly  dum- 
founded  at  the  sudden  turn  affairs  had  taken,  for  he  had  not 
understood  a  word  of  all  that  had  been  said.  But  he  was 
fully  aware  that  here  again  an  attempt  to  escape  would  be 
worse  than  useless,  and  therefore,  placing  full  reliance  in  his 
friend,  he  squatted  there  as  calmly  as  before,  prepared,  how- 
ever, to  spring  to  his  feet  in  a  moment  and  join  Tom  in 
fighting  for  their  lives.  A  hasty  glance  at  the  latter  told  him 
that  there  was  still  some  chance  of  calming  the  natives,  for 
Tom  Dixon  sat  as  if  carved  in  stone.  One  hand  was  buried, 
as  if  accidentally,  in  the  folds  of  his  waistcloth,  though  Jim 
knew  well  that  it  grasped  the  butt  of  a  hidden  revolver ;  while 
the  other  was  stretched  out  towards  the  brazier,  as  if  to  gather 
some  comfort  from  its  glowing  embers. 

"  Did  I  say  that  I  had  discussed  this  matter  with  my 
comrade?"  he  asked  sarcastically,  looking  round  the  circle 
with  a  contemptuous  glance.  "  When  I  said  that  we  had 
been  to  various  merchants  in  the  town,  I  thought  that  you 
were  wise  enought  to  understand  my  meaning.  My  comrade's 
vow  is  one  which  few  or  none  of  you  would  dare  to  take,  and 
yet  you  do  not  hesitate  to  doubt  it.  It  was  sworn  more  than 
a  week  ago,  and,  by  Allah,  it  has  never  been  broken.  But 
look  at  him?  Do  you  not  see  him  turn  his  head  as  each  one 
speaks?  He  cannot  help  the  words  falling  upon  his  ears, 
and  hears  and  understands  all  that  you  say,  without,  however, 
deigning  to  answer.     So  it  is  with  me.     So  that  he  should 

53 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

know  what  was  to  happen,  I  have  spoken  of  my  plans  to  him, 
but  we  have  never  entered  into  discussion  on  the  matter. 
Come,"  he  continued,  "let  us  be  friends,  and  treat  us  like 
brothers." 

"  We  will,"  exclaimed  the  old  man  warmly.  "  We  cannot 
venture  to  take  risks,  for  were  a  spy  to  come  amongst  us,  he 
would  learn  many  things  of  value  to  the  Government.  It  was 
on  that  account  that  we  tested  you,  and  have  proved  you  to  be 
of  ourselves.     We  are  friends  and  brothers." 

Each  of  the  natives  gave  vent  to  a  guttural  exclamation 
of  approval,  and  then,  as  if  to  forbid  further  altercation,  the 
sharp  notes  of  the  tom-tom  were  heard,  and  the  gathering 
began  a  chant,  one  of  those  peculiarly  dismal  dirges  which 
seem  to  delight  the  ears  of  natives  of  the  East.  Then,  when 
the  song  was  finished,  an  earthen  dish,  containing  slices  of 
juicy  lemon,  was  handed  round,  each  man  present  helping 
himself. 

"  You  spoke  of  a  ship  which  might  be  sailing  for  Somali- 
land,"  said  the  old  man,  suddenly,  awaking  from  a  reverie 
into  which  he  seemed  to  have  fallen,  and  looking  up  at  Tom. 
"  You  also  told  us  that  you  and  your  friend  were  in  search  of 
a  passage.  Are  you  strong,  and  are  you  willing  to  work  ?  For, 
if  so,  I  will  find  places  for  you  upon  the  dhow." 

"  It  is  a  good  offer,  and  we  accept  it  gladly,"  responded 
Tom  promptly.  "As  for  strength,  we  are  capable  of  hauling 
at  the  ropes  as  well  as  any  man.  Would  there  be  much  else 
to  do  ?  For  I  tell  you  honestly  that  we  are  unused  to  the  sea, 
and  are  more  at  home  when  mounted  upon  horseback  and 
galloping  across  the  smooth  plains  of  Somaliland." 

"  There  is  little  else  for  you  to  do  than  keep  watch  upon 
the  deck,  and  help  to  pull  in  the  sails,  for  three  men  will  go 
besides  yourselves,  as  well  as  the  master.     But  I  warn  you 

54 


In  Disguise 


that  fighting  may  fall  to  your  lot,  for  a  steamship  flying  the 
Government  colours  patrols  these  seas,  and,  should  she  sight 
you,  will  certainly  endeavour  to  capture  you.  In  that  case 
your  death  would  be  swift  and  almost  certain.  If  not,  you 
would  be  thrown  into  prison,  and  would  be  a  slave  for  the 
greater  part  of  your  days." 

"  Then  the  post  will  suit  us  well.  If  there  is  fighting  we 
shall  not  grumble,  for  it  is  our  trade,  and  as  capture  means 
death,  you  may  rely  upon  it  that  we  shall  do  all  that  is 
possible  to  defeat  the  enemy.  But  why  should  the  Govern- 
ment fall  upon  this  dhow  ?  " 

For  a  moment  the  old  man  scrutinized  Tom  closely,  as  if 
still  suspicious  of  him,  and  as  if  doubtful  whether  he  was  to 
be  fully  trusted.  But  the  latter  returned  his  glance  with  one 
that  was  equally  steady  and  unflinching,  and,  satisfied  with 
this,  the  native  at  length  answered: 

"  That  dhow  is  filled  to  overflowing  with  guns  and  ammuni- 
tion for  the  Mullah,"  he  said.  "  If  she  reaches  the  Somali 
coast  in  safety,  I  shall  have  done  well  for  myself,  and  shall 
have  aided  the  cause  of  your  master.  She  sails  to-morrow 
at  noon,  and  you  will  know  her  by  the  fact  that  she  bears 
a  red  streak  upon  her  bows,  and  has  a  large  rent  in  her  sail. 
When  you  see  her,  she  will  be  lying  some  few  yards  from  the 
shore,  and  any  of  the  small  craft  in  the  harbour  will  put  you 
aboard  her.  You  must  go  below  as  soon  as  you  get  on  board, 
and  if  any  of  the  crew  are  there,  pass  them  without  a  sound, 
but  salute  them  in  this  manner." 

The  old  man  paused  for  an  instant,  and  withdrawing  his 
hand  from  beneath  the  blanket  which  covered  him,  placed  two 
fingers  upon  his  lips. 

"  That  is  the  sign  which  you  must  make,  and  be  careful 
that  you  do  it  exactly  as  I  have  shown  you,  for,  if  not,  the 

55 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

crew  will  believe  that  you  are  spies,  and  will  fall  upon  you  as 
soon  as  you  are  below.  To-day  the  Customs  officer  has  been 
on  board,  inspecting  the  cargo.  But  the  crew  are  even  now 
busily  employed  in  transferring  it  to  another  ship,  and  in 
taking  in  the  guns  and  ammunition  destined  for  the  Mullah's 
troops." 

"  It  is  a  good  plan,"  said  Tom,  "  and  I  can  see  the  need 
for  secrecy.  To-morrow  we  shall  go  on  board  the  dhow,  and 
we  shall  be  careful  to  follow  your  wishes.  Can  you  tell  us 
how  long  the  passage  will  take,  and  where  we  shall  be 
landed?" 

Again  the  old  man  looked  suspiciously  at  him,  and  then 
shook  his  head  emphatically. 

"  No,  T  cannot  tell  you  that.  If  Allah  wills  it,  you  shall 
land  upon  the  coast  and  return  to  your  people." 

Some  five  minutes  later  Tom  touched  Jim  upon  the  arm, 
and  made  signs  to  him  to  rise.  Then,  nodding  to  the  natives, 
they  left  the  circle,  and  went  on  into  the  bazaar.  But  they 
had  already  had  one  experience  of  native  cunning  and  curi- 
osity, and  instead  of  turning  their  steps  towards  the  room  in 
which  they  had  disguised  themselves,  they  moved  away  in  the 
opposite  direction,  and  taking  advantage  of  a  narrow  alley, 
which  was  filled  with  chattering  natives,  they  mingled  with 
the  crowd,  and  sauntered  on,  now  looking  curiously  at  the 
wares  of  some  Hindoo  merchant,  and  then  watching  with 
evident  interest  the  skill  of  a  juggler,  who  sat  in  the  middle 
of  the  street,  with  an  admiring  circle  about  him.  Winding 
hither  and  thither,  they  at  length-  came  to  a  deserted  part, 
and  having  hidden  in  the  shadow  of  a  booth  for  some  ten 
minutes,  so  as  to  assure  themselves  that  they  were  not  fol- 
lowed, they  took  to  their  heels,  and  before  very  long  had 
reached  the  dwelling  in  which  they  were  to  shelter  that  night. 

56 


In  Disguise 


"  We're  in  luck,"  exclaimed  Tom,  in  tones  of  satisfaction. 
"  I  must  admit  that  at  one  moment  I  thought  it  was  all  up 
with  us,  for  these  natives  are  suspicious  beggars,  and  would 
think  •  nothing  of  killing  anyone  whom  they  suspected  of 
spying  upon  them.  If  they  had  discovered  us,  you  may  take 
it  for  certain  that  we  should  have  disappeared  for  good,  and 
no  amount  of  searching  on  the  part  of  our  friends  would  have 
led  to  news  of  our  fate.  There  is  no  doubt  that  they  are 
masters  at  the  art,  and  no  bribe  will  induce  anyone  to  give 
evidence  against  his  comrades." 

"  I  can  quite  believe  that,"  answered  Jim,  "  and  I  agree 
with  you  that  things  looked  very  black.  Of  course,  I  didn't 
understand  what  was  happening,  and  am  puzzling  about  it 
even  now.  But  the  shouting  and  excitement,  and  the  fact  that 
that  fellow  drew  his  knife,  told  me  that  trouble  was  coming. 
It  was  as  much  as  I  could  do  to  sit  there  quietly,  but  I  took 
my  cue  from  you,  and  I  can  tell  you  I  was  jolly  glad  when  the 
squabble  ended." 

"  You  behaved  like  a  brick,  old  boy.  Considering  that  you 
are  a  novice,  and  quite  unused  to  these  natives,  you  showed 
no  end  of  pluck.  I  admit  that  it  was  not  without  some  mis- 
givings that  I  allowed  you  to  accompany  me  into  the  bazaar, 
for,  you  see,  I  hadn't  an  idea  how  you  would  behave.  But  I 
felt  sure  that  the  fellow  who  could  come  out  here,  and  quietly 
make  his  preparations  to  face  the  dangers  of  an  expedition 
into  the  heart  of  Somaliland,  must  be  someone  quite  out  of 
the  ordinary.  Of  course,  you  might  have  been  a  thoughtless 
kind  of  beggar,  who  had  no  fear  simply  because  you  were 
unaware  of,  and  had  taken  no  trouble  to  find  out,  the  diffi- 
culties and  risks  you  were  about  to  face.  But  I  soon  saw 
that  you  realized  the  gravity  of  your  task,  and,  by  George! 
I  admired  you  for  it,  for  there  are  precious  few  youngsters  of 

57 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

your  age  who  would  have  the  grit  to  go  on  with  the  matter. 
But  I  am  wandering  from  the  subject.  There's  no  doubt  that 
if  you  had  flinched,  and  shouted  out  when  that  beggar  drew 
his  knife,  we  should  have  been  set  upon  by  the  whole  gang 
of  ruffians,  and,  though  we  were  armed  with  revolvers,  we 
should  have  had  precious  little  chance.  The  whole  row  arose 
because  you  made  no  answer  when  they  invited  you  to 
sing." 

Throwing  himself  upon  the  bed,  Tom  Dixon  gave  his 
comrade  a  full  account  of  the  altercation,  and  then  went  on 
to  describe  how  a  passage  had  been  offered  them  upon  the 
dhow,  which  was  to  sail  upon  the  following  day,  with  arms 
for  the  Mullah. 

"  It  will  not  do  to  take  any  risks,"  he  said,  "  and  therefore 
I  vote  that  we  practise  guing  aboard  and  making  the  sign,  for 
the  slightest  slip  would  mean  ruin  to  our  plans." 

Accordingly,  while  Tom  stood  at  one  end  of  the  room,  Jim 
advanced  from  the  other,  and  turning,  raised  his  fingers  to 
his  lips  as  he  passed  him.  Not  till  he  had  done  it  some  half- 
dozen  times  was  Tom  satisfied,  and  then  he,  too,  went  through 
the  process. 

"  The  next  thing  will  be  to  give  news  to  the  Governor," 
said  Tom,  "  so  as  to  make  it  possible  for  the  gunboat  to  in- 
tercept us.  She  left  Aden  a  couple  of  days  ago,  but  was  to 
return  to-morrow  night.  If  she  slips  away  again  at  once,  she 
should  easily  overtake  us,  and  then  I  should  give  very  little 
for  the  chances  of  the  crew.  There  should  be  four  on  board 
besides  ourselves,  and  if  we  cannot  master  them  with  our 
revolvers,  I  shall  be  greatly  surprised.  It  will  be  a  feather 
in  our  caps,  Jim,  to  capture  the  dhow  by  ourselves  and  then 
hand  her  over  to  the  gunboat."  • 

"  But  you  said  that  you  had  been  unable  to  ascertain  the 

58 


In  Disguise 


destination  of  the  dhow,"  interposed  Jim.     "  Supposing  the 
gunboat  could  not  find  her?" 

"  It  would  be  very  awkward,   and  that's  where  the  risk 


comes  in." 


"  Yes,  it  would  be  awkward,"  agreed  Jim ;  "  but  then  there 
would  be  all  the  more  honour  in  capturing  her.  It  would  be 
grand  to  overpower  the  crew  and  compel  them  to  sail  the 
dhow  back  to  Aden." 

"  Perhaps  it  will  turn  out  like  that,"  said  Tom.  "  But  you 
lie  down  on  the  bed  and  have  a  sleep  while  I  go  off  to  the 
Governor.  I  shall  be  back  within  an  hour,  and  shall 
make  myself  comfortable  in  the  corner  there  with  a  blanket  as 
■  a  covering.  No,"  he  exclaimed,  seeing  Jim  about  to  remon- 
strate, "  you  are  not  yet  used  to  sleeping  on  a  hard  floor  like 
the  natives.    But  I  am,  and  even  prefer  it." 

A  few  moments  later  Jim  was  left  alone  in  the  room,  and 
blowing  out  the  candle,  at  once  lay  down  upon  the  bed  and 
settled  himself  to  sleep.  An  hour  later  his  comrade  returned, 
and  threw  himself  down  in  the  corner,  where  his  heavy 
breathing  soon  gave  evidence  of  the  fact  that  he,  too,  had 
forgotten  the  adventures  of  the  night  and  was  lost  in  dreams. 

Scarcely  had  the  sun  risen  on  the  following  morning  when 
both  were  astir,  and  at  once  rearranged  their  clothing,  so  as 
to  make  sure  that  their  disguise  was  satisfactory  and  would 
pass  muster  in  broad  daylight.  Then  Tom  produced  a  small 
oil  stove  and  a  frying-pan,  and  began  to  prepare  breakfast. 
Eggs  were  to  be  had  in  plenty,  and  as  these  were  easy  to 
cook,  four  of  them  were  quickly  spluttering  upon  the  pan. 
Meanwhile  a  kettle  of  water  was  set  upon  a  second  stove  to 
boil,  and  soon  they  sat  down  to  a  satisfying  if  not  dainty 
repast.  To  a  hungry  man  food,  if  clean  and  fairly  well 
prepared,  is  always  acceptable,  and  Jim  and  his  companion 

59 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

were  not  the  ones  to  turn  up  their  noses  simply  because 
their  eggs  reposed  on  rough  tin  plates,  and  their  tea  was 
contained  in  mugs  of  similar  material.  Seated  upon  the 
two  chairs  of  which  the  room  boasted,  and  taking  the  plates 
upon  their  knees,  they  set  to  work  with  energy,  and  quickly 
caused  fhe  food  to  disappear.  Indeed,  so  keen  was  their 
appetite,  that  they  unanimously  agreed  to  prepare  a  second 
relay  of  eggs,  and  partook  of  them  with  the  same  relish. 

"  And  now  to  business,"  cried  Jim  cheerily.  "  I  feel  as 
fresh  as  paint,  and  quite  ready  for  this  adventure.  Shall  I 
do  as  I  am  ? " 

For  the  moment  Tom  did  not   answer,  but   pulling   the 
curtain  from  the  window  so  as  to  allow  all  the  light  that  was . 
possible  to  enter  the  room,  he  placed  his  comrade  in  the  centre 
and  walked  slowly  round  him. 

"  The  disguise  is  perfect,"  he  said  in  tones  of  satisfaction. 
"  I  guarantee  that  you  will  pass  muster  anywhere,  and,  so 
long  as  you  remember  that  you  are  never  to  open  your  lips, 
I  have  little  fear  that  you  will  be  discovered.  Let  me  give 
you  a  little  additional  advice.  As  we  go  towards  the  dhow  it 
is  quite  on  the  cards  that  we  shall  run  across  some  of  the 
passengers  who  accompanied  you  from  England,  and  you  may 
be  tempted  to  renew  your  friendship  with  them,  quite  forget- 
ful of  your  disguise.  But  you  must  not  dream  of  doing  such 
a  thing,  for  sharp  eyes  are  always  watching  in  this  town,  and 
were  the  natives  to  learn  that  a  spy  is  amongst  them,  your 
chances  of  success  in  Somaliland  would  be  considerably 
diminished.  Now,  are  your  revolvers  in  position,  and  do  you 
feel  ready  to  accompany  me  ?  " 

"  Quite,"  exclaimed  Jim,  with  emphasis.  "  I  tell  you  that 
I  feel  as  light-hearted  as  possible,  and  fully  prepared  for  the 
adventure." 

60 


In  Disguise 


"  Then  come  along." 

Leading  the  way  to  the  window,  Tom  Dixon  threw  it  open, 
and  placing  a  chair  beneath  it,  stepped  upon  it  and  crawled 
through.  Jim  followed,  without  hesitation,  and  found  him- 
self in  a  narrow  courtyard,  from  which  a  gate  that  was 
almost  tumbling  from  its  hinges  led  into  a  street  behind.  A 
glance  showed  them  that  the  street  was  empty,  and  at  once 
they  stepped  into  it,  and  hurrying  along,  were  soon  in  the 
main  thoroughfare  of  Aden. 

Had  anyone  taken  the  trouble  to  scrutinize  them  closely, 
he  would  have  seen  two  stalwart  and  swarthy  men,  one  some- 
what younger  than  the  other,  and  of  slightly  smaller  propor- 
tions, but  both  evidently  from  the  shores  of  Northern  Africa. 
They  strode  along  with  that  quick  shuffling  gait  common  to 
men  of  their  race,  and  due,  no  doubt,  in  some  degree,  to  the 
sandals  which  they  wear.  That  they  were  strangers  to  Aden 
could  be  easily  guessed,  for  they  looked  curiously  about  them, 
and  stopped  every  now  and  again  to  look  in  at  the  shop 
windows.  An  Englishman  marching  along  the  footpath  was 
obviously  an  object  of  interest  and  respect,  for  they  turned 
aside  to  give  him  more  room  to  pass,  and  gazed  at  him  in 
wonderment.  So  cleverly  did  they  act  their  part  that  no  one 
suspected  that  they  were  not  what  they  pretended  to  be,  and 
even  the  natives,  who  swarmed  everywhere,  let  them  pass 
wothout  a  doubt.  On  one  occasion  a  native  arrested  their 
progress,  and  would  have  entered  into  conversation  with  Jim, 
but  a  few  words  from  Tom  altered  his  intention,  and  he  stood 
aside,  allowing  them  to  pass  without  comment.  A  few 
minutes  later,  when  turning  a  corner  sharply,  they  barely 
escaped  running  into  a  second  Englishman,  who  was  no  other 
than  Mr.  Andrews.  But  he  motioned  them  aside  with  a 
brusque  "  Out  of  the  way !  "  and  went  on,  without  a  thought 

61 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

of  the  two  young  fellows  who  had  sat  with  him  on  the  pre- 
vious evening,  and  without  a  suspicion  that  the  two  Somali 
tribesmen  whom  he  had  met  face  to  face  were  those  whose 
interests  he  had  so  much  at  heart. 

Half  an  hour's  sharp  walk  brought  Jim  and  his  companion 
to  the  shore,  where  they  paused  for  some  minutes  to  gaze  at 
a  large  steamer  which  was  moored  there,  undergoing  the 
process  of  coaling  with  the  help  of  a  perfect  army  of  dusky 
figures  who  swarmed  about  her,  shouting  at  the  top  of  their 
voices. 

From  there  they  took  their  way  to  that  part  of  the  harbour 
usually  allotted  to  native  craft,  and  before  very  long  had  the 
satisfaction  of  noting  that  one  which  floated  in  deep  water, 
and  was  of  fairly  large  proportions,  had  a  thin  streak  of  red 
upon  her  bows. 

Tom  at  once  turned  towards  her,  and,  followed  closely  by 
Jim,  went  down  to  the  waters  edge.  A  number  of  flimsy 
native  boats  were  drawn  up  on  the  mud,  with  their  owners 
seated  chatting  beside  them.  As  soon  as  they  caught  sight 
of  the  two  strangers,  the  boatmen  at  once  sprang  to  their 
feet,  and,  gesticulating  wildly,  offered  their  services. 

"  We  want  to  go  aboard  the  dhow  there,"  said  Tom  shortly, 
selecting  one  of  the  boatmen.  "  What  will  you  take  us 
for?" 

A  price  was  agreed  upon  after  some  little  haggling,  and  a 
few  moments  later  a  boat  was  run  down  into  the  water  and 
pushed  off.  Taking  his  place  in  the  stern,  the  oarsman 
paddled  out  into  deep  water,  and  quickly  brought  them 
alongside  the  dhow.  Tom  at  once  handed  him  his  fare,  and 
then,  grasping  the  halliards,  which  were  close  at  hand, 
swarmed  up  on  deck,  closely  followed  by  Jim.  As  he  did 
so  he  threw  a  glance  aloft,  and  noted  that  the  huge  leg-of 

62 


In  Disguise 


mutton  sail  which  was  tied  up  to  the  mast  had  a  large  rent 
in  one  corner  of  it. 

"  We  are  on  the  right  ship,  at  any  rate,"  he  said  to 
himself.     "  And  now  for  the  crew." 

Turning  towards  the  stern  of  the  dhow,  he  and  Jim 
walked  towards  a  narrow  hatchway,  which  evidently  gave 
admission  to  the  hold.  As  they  did  so,  three  figures  started 
up  from  behind  some  coils  of  rope  with  the  silence  of  spectres, 
and  gazed  at  them  curiously  and  suspiciously;  while  a  fourth, 
happening  to  thrust  his  head  up  at  that  moment,  caught 
sight  of  the  strangers,  and,  with  a  guttural  exclamation, 
climbed  out  upon  the  deck.  They  were  fierce-looking  fellows, 
clad  in  scanty  raiment,  and  undoubtedly  armed,  for,  as  the 
newcomers  returned  their  glances  and  ran  their  eyes  over 
them,  they  noted  the  handle  of  more  than  one  weapon  pro- 
truding from  their  waist-cloths,  while  the  man  who  had  just 
emerged  from  the  hold  bore  a  pistol  of  gigantic  proportions. 

"  We  shall  have  our  work  cut  out  to  master  them,"  Jim 
said  to  himself,  "  for  they  will  fight  hard  and  make  a  desper- 
ate resistance.  However,  so  long  as  their  suspicions  are  not 
aroused,  and  they  believe  that  we  are  friends,  and  to  be 
thoroughly  relied  upon,  we  shall  have  every  opportunity  of 
taking  them  by  surprise.  If  we  are  successful  in  doing  that, 
I  think  we  shall  be  able  to  overawe  them;  and  if  not,  why, 
they  must  look  to  themselves." 

A  movement  on  Tom's  part  now  attracted  his  attention, 
and  following  him  closely,  Jim  strode  down  the  deck,  taking 
little  notice  of  the  natives.  Arrived  at  the  hatchway,  his 
companion  paused  for  the  space  of  a  moment,  and  rapidly 
made  the  sign.  Instantly  the  crew,  who  had  stood  there 
with  menacing  looks,  evidently  determined  to  attack  them 
should  they  prove  to  be  enemies  come  to  spy  upon  them, 

63 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

sauntered  away,  watching-,  however,  to  see  that  Jim,  too, 
lifted  his  fingers  to  his  lips.  A  moment  later  both  had  dis- 
appeared into  the  darkness  of  the  hold,  and,  creeping  for- 
ward, sat  down  side  by  side. 

"  Guns !  "  whispered  Jim,  feeling  about  with  his  hands, 
and  venturing  for  one  second  to  break  the  silence  which  he 
had  promised  to  observe.  "  Scores  of  them !  They  are  all 
over  the  place." 

"  And  precious  uncomfortable  to  sit  upon,"  answered  his 
companion  in  husky  tones.  "  The  stock  of  one  is  digging  into 
me.  But,  hush!  We  must  not  talk,  for  those  beggars  are 
certain  to  be  curious  about  us,  and  we  may  take  it  for  granted 
that  for  a  day  at  least  they  will  watch  us  like  cats.  No 
doubt,  for  the  present,  and  until  the  dhow  sails,  we  shall  be 
left  severely  alone;  but  then  will  come  the  trial.  Recollect, 
Jim,  that  we  are  landsmen,  and  don't  forget  to  bungle  when 
you  hang  on  to  a  rope.  I  shall  let  them  know  of  your  vow, 
and  you  must  act  up  to  it  by  appearing  morose  and  stupid. 
Hear  nothing;  say  nothing;  but  wait  until  everything  is 
explained  to  you  by  signs." 

"  Right,  old  man ;  you  may  rely  upon  me,"  was  Jim's 
whispered  reply;  after  which  they  both  sat  silently,  neither 
venturing  to  speak  nor  move,  but  listening  intently  to  every 
sound  that  reached  their  ears.  Now  and  again  they  could 
hear  the  distant  shout  of  some  native  boatman,  or  the  howl  of 
a  cur  prowling  along  the  shore.  Then,  too,  the  voices  of  the 
crew  could  be  occasionally  heard  as  they  chatted  together  on 
the  deck,  but  the  actual  words  could  not  be  distinguished  at 
that  distance,  though  Tom  would  have  given  anything  to 
learn  what  they  were  saying.  And  all  the  while  the  dhow 
rolled  lazily  from  side  to  side,  her  mast  creaking  dismally  as 
she  did  so,  while  the  rigging  rattled  loudly  against  the  wood- 

64 


In  Disguise 


work.  Occasionally,  as  a  boat  of  large  proportions  passed, 
the  sea  would  come  with  a  splash  against  the  side  and  drown 
all  other  sounds.  But  the  noise  soon  quieted  down,  and  Jim 
and  Tom  found  themselves  listening  again,  as  if  fascinated, 
to  the  distant  shouts,  the  murmur  of  voices  above,  and  the 
flapping  of  the  sail. 

Three  long  and  weary  hours  passed — hours  of  suspense  to 
the  two  young  Englishmen  seated  below;  and  then,  just  as 
their  patience  was  exhausted,  they  heard  someone  moving  on 
the  deck.  There  was  a  patter  of  bare  feet  upon  the  boards, 
followed  by  the  noise  of  a  rope  passing  through  a  block. 

"  Up  goes  the  sail !  "  whispered  Jim,  in  tones  of  delight. 
"  Hurrah !     We're  off !  " 

"  Then  prepare  to  go  on  deck,"  answered  Tom.  "  They'll 
wait  until  we're  out  of  sight,  and  then  will  call  us  up." 

"  Ah,  there  she  goes ! "  exclaimed  Jim,  as  the  dhow 
suddenly  heeled  over,  and  began  to  move  through  the  water. 
A  minute  later  she  was  driving  along  before  a  brisk  breeze, 
and  the  two  young  fellows  below  realized  that,  at  last,  their 
adventure  had  begun  in  earnest. 


65 


CHAPTER   V 

A  DESPERATE   ENCOUNTER 

Barely  half  an  hour  had  passed  from  the  time  when  the 
sail  was  unloosed,  and  the  dhow  cast  off  her  moorings,  before 
one  of  the  crew  knelt  upon  the  deck,  and,  thrusting  his  head 
through  the  hatchway,  shouted  to  Jim  and  his  companion  to 
come  out  of  the  hold. 

"  Now  for  it,"  whispered  Tom.  "  Keep  cool,  and  be 
perfectly  unconcerned.  If  there  is  trouble,  do  not  hesitate 
for  an  instant,  but  draw  your  revolvers  and  shoot.  You've 
only  got  to  look  at  those  fellows'  faces  to  see  that  we  have  to 
deal  with  desperate  men,  who  would  kill  us  if  they  had  the 
slightest  doubts  of  our  good  faith.    Ready?" 

"  Quite,"  answered  Jim  with  a  calmness  that  surprised 
himself. 

"  Then  up  we  go." 

Rising  to  their  feet,  and  bending  low,  for  the  cargo  of 
guns  left  little  space  in  which  to  move,  they  crept  towards 
the  hatchway,  and  in  due  time  emerged  upon  the  deck, 
blinking  as  the  dazzling  rays  of  the  noonday  sun  fell  upon 
their  eyes.  When  they  had  accustomed  themselves  to  the 
strong  light,  they  became  aware  that  three  of  the  crew  con- 
fronted them,  while  the  fourth  stood  at  the  tiller,  keeping 
the  vessel  to  her  course.  Right  astern,  a  dim  blue  line 
showed  the  position  of  Aden,  while  ahead,  and  on  either  hand, 
nothing  but  blue  ocean  could  be  seen.  Not  a  sail  was  in 
sight,  though  Jim  strained  his  eyes  in  every  direction,  and 

56 


A  Desperate  Encounter 

not  a  streak  of  cloud  in  the  sky  could,  by  the  wildest  flight  of 
imagination,  be  interpreted  as  the  smoke  from  the  funnel 
of  the  gunboat.  But  at  this  moment  one  of  the  natives 
addressed  him. 

"You  and  your  comrade  can  lie  upon  the  deck  for  a 
while,"  he  said,  "  but  you  must  be  ready  at  any  moment  to 
give  us  a  help.  Keep  a  keen  look-out  in  all  directions,  and  if 
you  see  a  sail,  shout  so  that  I  shall  know.  If  we  are  pursued 
we  must  fly,  and  may  Allah  send  a  breeze  to  aid  us.  If 
not,  we  will  fight,  and  in  that  we  are  told  that  you  can 
help  us." 

"  We  hear  what  you  say,"  answered  Tom  hurriedly, 
anxious  to  explain  his  companion's  silence.  il  Take  no  notice 
of  my  friend,  for,  as  those  who  sent  us  here  may  have  told 
you,  he  is,  for  the  time  being,  both  deaf  and  dumb.  Do  not 
speak  to  him,  I  beg  of  you,  for  he  will  not  answer,  and  will 
stand,  as  he  does  now,  refusing  to  comprehend  your  words. 
If  you  have  orders  to  give,  I  will  hand  them  on  to  him  by 
signs.  As  for  fighting,  what  is  that  to  us?  In  our  country 
we  are  ever  at  war,  and  should  be  miserable  without  it. 
Make  your  mind  easy,  therefore,  for  we  shall  strike  hard 
when  the  moment  of  danger  arrives." 

Apparently  his  words  satisfied  the  natives,  for  they  turned 
away,  and  walked  towards  the  steersman.  Tom  at  once 
grasped  Jim  by  the  arm,  and  pointing  to  the  deck,  strode 
across  to  the  bulwark,  and  threw  himself  down  there  for  an 
instant.  Then  he  rose  to  his  feet  again,  and  placing  a  hand 
above  his  eyes,  so  as  to  shield  them  from  the  sun,  stared 
long  and  anxiously  across  the  sea.  Again  he  threw  himself 
upon  the  deck  and  repeated  the  process,  but  this  time  with 
a  different  result,  for,  apparently,  he  caught  sight  of  some 
distant  object,  and  giving  vent  to  a  shout,  ran  to  communi- 

67 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

cate  his  news  to  the  crew.  Indeed,  so  realistic  was  his  acting 
that  they,  too,  imagined  he  had  seen  something  of  interest, 
and  at  once  came  crowding  to  the  bulwarks,  and  stared 
eagerly  across  the  water  in  the  vain  endeavour  to  discover 
some  object  between  themselves  and  the  horizon. 

"  Where  ? "  shouted  the  man  who  had  addressed  Jim,  and 
who  seemed  to  be  the  master.  "  Where  ?  "  he  repeated  anx- 
iously. "  I  can  see  no  sail,  though  it  is  possible  that  one  is 
hidden  in  the  haze  yonder.  Hold  out  your  arm  so  that  I 
may  follow  the  direction." 

There  was  no  doubt  from  the  manner  in  which  he  spoke, 
and  from  the  anxiety  displayed  by  the  remainder  of  the  crew, 
that  the  prospect  of  discovery  had  filled  them  with  alarm. 
They  were  conscious  that  they  were  engaged  upon  an  unlaw- 
ful expedition,  and  though  that  did  not  trouble  them  much, 
the  thought  of  what  would  follow  if  they  were  captured  set 
them   trembling. 

"  Ah,  what  is  that  ? "  shouted  one  of  their  number.  "  I 
can  see  something  which  has  the  appearance  of  a  bird,  but 
which  may  well  be  a  sail.  If  so,  we  are  safe,  for  the  Govern  - 
men  would  follow  us  in  a  steamship,  if  at  all." 

"  It  is  nothing,"  replied  Tom  calmly,  with%  difficulty  keep- 
ing his  features  straight.  "  I  saw  nothing  to  alarm  me,  but 
was  merely  explaining  to  my  comrade  the  duties  he  was  to 
carry  out.     See,  it  is  evident  that  he  understands." 

"Is  that  so?"  was  the  grumbling  reply.  "By  the  manner 
in  which  you  gave  the  alarm,  I  thought  you  had  sighted  a 
suspicious  sail,  and  my  heart  leapt  into  my  mouth  at  your 
shout.  But  it  is  well  that  there  is  nothing  in  it.  Go  to  your 
places  now,  and  do  not  forget  to  keep  constant  watch." 

For  a  minute  he  stood  by  the  bulwark,  while  Jim  and  his 
companion  went  forward  and   threw  themselves   upon   the 

68 


A  Desperate  Encounter 

deck.  Then  he  retired  to  the  stern  of  the  vessel,  and  sat 
down  in  the  shade  cast  by  the  enormous  sail. 

For  three  hours  the  dhow  kept  steadily  on  her  course, 
and  then  Jim,  who  lay  upon  the  starboard  side,  suddenly 
caught  sight  of  a  speck  of  white  coming  from  the  opposite 
direction.  Keeping  his  eyes  fixed  upon  it,  he  noticed  that  it 
increased  rapidly  in  size,  and  soon  there  was  no  doubt  that 
it  was  another  vessel.  Giving  a  low  cough  to  attract  Tom's 
attention,  he  pointed  towards  the  object,  and  then  sprang  to 
his  feet.  Walking  along  the  deck,  he  approached  the  group 
at  the  farther  end,  and  laid  his  hand  upon  the  shoulder  of 
the  master,  shaking  him  as  he  did  so,  for  he  had  fallen  asleep. 

In  a  moment  all  were  on  their  feet,  and  staring  across 
the  sea. 

"It  is  a  large  dhow,"  said  the  man  who  commanded  the 
crew,  "  and  she  is  sweeping  down  in  our  direction.  "  What 
do  you  think  she  is  ? " 

"  It  is  too  early  to  say,"  answered  one  of  the  men,  "  but 
she  is  not  a  trader — of  that  I  am  sure — nor  does  she  belong 
to  the  Government.  It  is  possible  that  she  comes  from  some 
African  port,  but  until  she  is  closer  I  cannot  be  certain. 
This  I  can  say,  she  is  larger  than  any  dhow  plying  between 
Aden  and  the  opposite  coast,  and  therefore  we  shall  do  well 
to  keep  her  at  a  distance." 

For  a  few  minutes  the  natives  held  a  heated  conversation, 
and  a  sharp  order  was  given  to  alter  the  course.  When  that 
was  done,  and  the  dhow  was  holding  along  in  a  southerly 
direction,  the  crew  gathered  in  the  bows  and  stood  there, 
gazing  anxiously  at  the  distant  vessel.  Cries  of  alarm  escaped 
their  lips  when  they  noticed  that  her  head  came  round,  and 
that  she,  too,  had  altered  her  course  so  as  to  intercept  them. 

"  She  sails  faster  than  we  do !  "  exclaimed  the  master,  with 

69 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

an  oath.  "  We  cannot  hope  to  escape  her,  and  therefore  I 
advise  that  we  resume  our  course,  and  make  ready  for  an 
encounter,  though  it  is  more  than  likely  that  she  will  prove 
to  be  a  friend.  And  if  not  that — well,  we  must  prepare  to 
sell  our  lives  dearly.  But  I  cannot  believe  that  we  have 
anything  to  fear,  for  none  but  peaceful  traders  sail  upon 
this  sea." 

"  That  is  so,"  agreed  one  of  the  crew.  "  But  I  have  heard 
that,  at  times,  piratical  craft  sail  from  the  coast  of  Africa, 
and  swoop  down  upon  the  traders.  If  that  dhow  is  bent 
upon  such  an  expedition,  we  are  lost,  for  her  owners  care  no 
more  for  the  Mullah  than  they  do  for  other  people." 

The  news  filled  his  companions  with  dismay.  In  a  half- 
hearted manner  they  produced  a  number  of  guns  from  the 
hold,  and  proceeded  to  load  them.  Then  they  placed  swords 
beside  the  bulwark,  and  motioned  to  Jim  and  Tom  to  select 
a  couple. 

"  There  is  trouble  before  us,  and  we  must  fight  for  our 
lives,"  said  the  master,  brightening  up  a  little.  "  If  you 
do  not  wish  to  be  killed,  you  must  join  us,  and  help  in  the 
struggle." 

"  We  shall  do  so  gladly,  if  there  is  need,"  answered  Tom. 
"  But  let  us  hope  that  the  stranger  will  turn  out  to  be  a 
friend." 

"I  wish  I  could  think  the  same,"  the  master  replied  with 
a  shake  of  his  head.  "  It  is  more  than  likely  that  she  is  a 
pirate.  But  now  we  must  separate.  You  and  your  friend  go 
forward  into  the  bows.  I  shall  station  two  of  my  men  in  the 
centre  of  the  dhow,  while  I  and  the  fourth  go  aft.  Then  we 
shall  be  prepared  at  all  points,  and  wherever  they  attempt 
to  board  us,  we  shall  have  men  at  hand  to  beat  them 
back." 

70 


A  Desperate  Encounter 

"  If  I  were  you  I  should  order  everyone  to  lie  down,"  said 
Tom,  thoughtfully.  "At  the  distance  they  are  from  us  now 
they  cannot  have  ascertained  how  many  we  have  on  board, 
and  will  naturally  keep  away  until  they  are  certain.  If  they 
are  bent  on  capturing  us,  and  open  fire  when  within  range, 
we  can  all  creep  to  the  centre  and  give  them  a  volley.  Then 
we'll  hasten  to  the  bows,  and  fire  from  that  quarter.  You 
have  plenty  of  guns,  so  that  you  have  only  to  load  a  number, 
and  pile  them  at  various  points  along  the  deck,  in  readiness 
for  our  volleys.  If  we  are  quick,  and  take  good  care  to  keep 
well  below  the  bulwarks,  we  ought  to  confuse  them,  and 
make  them  think  that  we  have  plenty  of  men." 

"  It  is  a  good  plan,"  the  native  answered.  "  I  shall  see  that 
the  guns  are  brought  up  at  once,  and  the  men  warned.  That 
ship  will  sail  close  up  to  us,  expecting  us  to  fall  an  easy  prey. 
But  we'll  astonish  them  with  our  bullets,  and  will  set  them 
wondering,  for  it  is  unusual  for  a  peaceful  trader,  as  we  are 
supposed  to  be,  to  carry  any  firearms.  Go  forward  now,  and 
explain  to  your  comrade." 

Tom  at  once  ran  to  the  bows,  where  Jim  was  reclining  on 
the  deck,  watching  the  oncoming  ship,  and  throwing  himself 
down  beside  him,  began  to  make  signs  to  him,  keeping  a 
watch  all  the  time,  however,  upon  the  other  members  of  the 
crew. 

"  Ah,  they've  gone  below  for  the  guns,"  he  said  at  last, 
"  and  there  is  only  the  man  at  the  helm  to  be  feared,  and  he 
is  engaged  in  watching  this  pirate,  or  whatever  she  may  be. 
Listen,  Jim.  We're  in  for  a  struggle,  for  that  ship  is  an 
enemy,  and  is  probably  filled  with  negro  cut-throats.  I  have 
advised  the  master  of  our  ship  to  make  a  fight  for  it,  but  I 
doubt  if  he  or  his  men  have  the  necessary  courage.  What  are 
we  to  do  if  that  is  the  case  ?  " 

7i 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  It  is  hard  to  say,  Tom.  If  the  dhow  over  there  carries  a 
big  crew,  resistance  would  be  madness,  in  my  opinion. 
Better  to  give  in  and  fraternize  with  them,  if  they  will  allow 
us,  trusting  to  get  away  from  them  at  some  future  date. 
That's  the  best  advice  I  can  give.  But  if  you  think  we  have 
any  chance,  I'm  ready  and  willing  to  stand  by  you." 

"I  know  that,  old  boy,"  answered  Tom  warmly;  "but 
though  I  have  advised  resistance,  I  doubt  whether  it  will  be 
attempted.  We'll  just  wait,  and  see  how  things  go.  This 
stranger  may  turn  out,  after  all,  to  be  a  friend." 

Whatever  hopes  they  might  have  had  as  to  the  peaceful 
nature  of  the  approaching  dhow,  they  were  quickly  disap- 
pointed, for  she  was  coming  up  rapidly,  aided  by  a  steady  and 
brisk  breeze.  Almost  before  they  thought  it  possible,  she  was 
within  range,  and  then  they  saw  that  she  was  quite  double 
the  size  of  their  vessel.  Shooting  up  into  the  wind,  she  lay 
to  dead  across  their  bows,  displaying  at  the  same  moment  a 
broad  expanse  of  white  deck,  which  was  thickly  crowded  with 
men.  Almost  instantly  a  puff  of  smoke  belched  from  her 
bulwarks,  and  a  ball  came  hurtling  over  the  water. 

"  Caught,  I  am  afraid,"  whispered  Jim,  peeping  at  the 
stranger.  "  We  haven't  a  chance,  Tom,  for  look  at  our 
comrades." 

As  he  spoke  the  leader  of  the  native  crew  rushed  to  the 
helm  and  waved  his  arm  frantically  in  token  of  surrender, 
while  his  men  threw  themselves  upon  the  deck,  and  grovelled 
there,  in  terror  lest  another  shot  should  be  fired  by  the  pirate. 

"  Curs !  "  exclaimed  Tom,  angrily.  "  When  there  is  no 
danger  to  be  feared,  they  are  fierce  enough  looking  fellows. 
But  now  that  we  are  in  trouble,  they  show  the  real  stuff  of 
which  they  are  made.     But  what  are  we  to  do  ?  " 

"  Stay   where   we   are   till   the   enemy   comes   alongside," 

72 


A  Desperate  Encounter 

answered  Jim,  promptly.  "  If  they  rush  on  board  with  the 
intention  of  killing  us,  we  must  stand  side  by  side  up  here  in 
the  bows,  and  keep  them  off  with  our  revolvers.  It  is  ten 
chances  to  one  that  they  are  only  armed  with  swords,  and  in 
that  case  we  ought  to  be  able  to  make  a  good  fight  of  it. 
Whatever  happens,  I  don't  mean  to  be  killed  without  a 
struggle." 

He  spoke  quite  calmly,  and  thrust  his  hands  into  his 
waistcloth  to  make  certain  that  his  weapons  were  there.  As 
for  Tom,  he  looked  at  his  young  companion  with  amazement, 
and  then,  fired  by  his  example  of  pluck,  prepared  to  do  as  he 
had  said. 

"  Then  it's  agreed  that,  if  there  is  no  hope,  we  fight,"  he 
said ;  "  and  if  there  is,  we  give  ourselves  up,  and  trust  to 
better  luck  later  on." 

"  That's  it,"  replied  Jim,  shortly.  "  It  would  be  madness 
to  resist  if  they  were  inclined  to  spare  our  lives.  But  if  they 
want  to  slay  us,  they'll  find  one  here  who  strongly  objects." 

By  now,  the  big  native  dhow  had  paid  off  into  her  course 
again,  and,  seeing  that  she  had  nothing  to  fear,  came  on  till 
within  easy  hailing-distance.  Then  a  huge  negro,  dressed  in 
gaudy  colours,  and  bearing  a  cutlass  in  his  hand,  sprang 
upon  the  bulwarks,  and  shouted  to  them. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  he  cried.  "  And  where  do  you  come 
from  ?  " 

Shaking  with  terror,  the  master  went  to  the  side,  and 
answered  that  there  were  five  besides  himself  on  the  vessel, 
and  that  she  came  from  Aden. 

"  Where  for,  and  what  cargo  ?  "  was  the  next  question. 

"  For  the  coast,  with  arms  for  the  Mullah." 

"  Then  we  are  friends,"  came  the  answer.  "  The  Mullah 
is  our  master  also,  and  we  sail  the  sea  in  his  ship.    All  whom 

73 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

we  capture  we  send  to  him  to  swell  his  forces,  while  the  loot 
we  keep  for  ourselves.  Do  you  know  of  any  trader  about  to 
leave  the  shores  on  the  farther  side  ? " 

"  Not  one,"  shouted  the  master,  scarcely  able  to  restrain 
his  joy.  "  But  I  can  tell  you  that  a  British  gunboat  is  on 
patrol,  and  you  will  do  well  to  keep  clear  of  her.  Now,  good- 
bye.   We  must  press  on  at  our  fastest  pace." 

Going  aft  to  the  helm  he  brought  the  dhow  round,  and 
in  another  minute  they  were  shooting  away  from  the  pirat- 
ical-looking stranger,  leaving  her  rolling  gently  on  the 
water,  with  her  bulwarks  lined  by  a  crew  of  natives,  of  all 
sorts  of  every  race,  who  stood  there  watching  the  smaller 
vessel  depart.  Ten  minutes  later  she,  too,  had  turned,  and 
was  dashing  away  at  a  pace  which  showed  how  hopeless  it 
would  have  been  for  the  dhow  to  have  attempted  to  evade 
her. 

The  delight  of  the  master  and  crew  of  the  smaller  vessel 
was  immense,  and  they  could  scarcely  contain  themselves  for 
joy.  They  threw  themselves  into  one  another's  arms,  leapt 
high  into  the  air,  and  shouted  at  the  top  of  their  voices. 
Then  they  produced  a  hubble-bubble,  and,  going  aft,  squatted 
down  close  to  the  steersman,  and  began  to  converse  in  loud 
tones.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  change  in  their  appear- 
ance. Whereas,  a  few  minutes  before,  they  had  been  shaking 
with  terror,  and  prepared  to  accept  their  death  without  so 
much  as  a  struggle,  now  they  held  their  heads  erect,  and 
recounted  to  one  another,  in  piercing  tones,  the  brave  deeds 
which  they  would  have  accomplished  had  the  larger  dhow 
turned  out,  after  all,  to  be  an  enemy. 

As  for  Jim  and  his  friend,  they  lay  full  length  upon  the 
deck  in  the  bows  of  the  vessel,  keeping  a  bright  look-out  over 
the  bulwarks,  and  apparently  undisturbed  by  the  excitement 

74 


A  Desperate  Encounter 

of  recent  events.  But,  for  all  that,  they  were  deeply  relieved, 
for  the  situation  had  for  a  time  seemed  desperate. 

"  I  am  trying-  to  think  what  would  have  happened," 
whispered  Jim,  taking  advantage  of  the  fact  that  the  natives 
were  fully  engaged  in  conversation.  "  Suppose  those  pirates 
had  compelled  us  to  join  them,  and  we  had  afterwards  fallen 
in  with  a  British  ship,  we  should  have  been  in  a  very  awk- 
ward position,  for  we  could  not  have  refused  to  fight." 

"  We  should  have  found  a  way  out  of  it  somehow,  Jim. 
I  noticed  that,  like  this  dhow,  she  carried  a  dinghy  on  her 
decks,  and  we  could  have  taken  advantage  of  that  and  slipped 
away  during  the  night.  But  I  am  glad  that  things  have 
turned  out  as  they  have,  for  now  we  have  a  better  chance  of 
capturing  this  vessel.  Look  out!  Here's  one  of  the  beggars 
coming  to  talk  to  us." 

As  he  spoke  one  of  the  men  aft  handed  the  stem  of  the 
hubble-bubble  to  his  companion  and  came  running  for- 
ward. 

"  The  chief  bids  you  come  and  join  us,"  he  cried,  and  at 
once  returned  to  his  old  position. 

"You  stay  here,  Jim,"  whispered  Tom;  "those  fellows 
want  a  chat,  so  I'll  go  and  smoke  with  them.  If  you  were  to 
attempt  that  you  would  certainly  fail,  for  it  requires  a  deal  of 
practice  to  tackle  a  hubble-bubble." 

Accordingly,  leaving  Jim  on  the  look-out  in  the  bows  of 
the  vessel,  Tom  sauntered  aft,  and  was  soon  squatting  beside 
the  natives.  The  stem  of  the  pipe  was  at  once  handed  to 
him,  and  soon  he  was  engaged  in  animated  conversation.  It 
was  evident  that  something  had  aroused  the  suspicion  of  the 
master  and  his  crew,  for  they  questioned  him  closely.  But 
his  answers  seemed  to  satisfy  them,  and  in  half  an  hour  he 
returned  to  Jim's  side,  and  taking  advantage  of  the  fact  that 

75 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

the  natives  were  still  engaged  in  animated  conversation, 
began  to  chat  in  low  tones  to  him. 

"  They  seem  inclined  to  be  very  friendly,"  he  said,  "  but  I 
am  not  quite  satisfied.  Something — I  don't  know  what  it  is 
— seems  to  have  upset  them.  The  fact  of  the  matter  is  they 
don't  quite  believe  in  this  silence  of  yours.  One  man  de- 
clared that  he  had  seen  us  exchanging  words  when  the  pirate 
bore  down  upon  us.  Of  course,  I  said  that  that  was  impos- 
sible, and  that  he  had  imagined  it.  But  he  was  positive,  and, 
I  could  see,  had  been  talking  to  his  fellows.  However,  the 
subject  dropped,  and  after  a  time  turned  to  the  Mullah. 
His  position  was  mentioned,  and,  by  pretending  to  know  a 
great  deal  more  about  him  than  I  really  do,  they  became 
quite  confiding,  and  told  me  the  number  of  adherents  of 
which  he  boasted.  In  the  most  unconcerned  manner,  I  men- 
tioned that  a  white  prisoner  had  fallen  into  his  hands  of  late, 
and  I  could  see  at  once  that  they  knew  all  about  it.  But  I 
could  get  no  further  information  from  them. 

" '  Yes,'  said  their  chief,  '  a  man  was  thrown  upon  the 
shore,  and  fell  into  the  Mullah's  hands;  but  he  is  only  one, 
whereas,  as  soon  as  the  foolish  English  advance,  hundreds 
more  will  be  made  into  slaves.' 

"  That's  all  I  could  get  out  of  him,  and  so,  after  changing 
the  conversation  and  having  another  turn  at  the  hubble- 
bubble,  I  rose  to  my  feet  and  returned." 

"  I'm  not  surprised  to  hear  that  they  are  suspicious,  Tom. 
I  saw  one  of  the  natives  look  at  us  while  we  were  deciding 
what  to  do,  and  if  he  is  quite  certain  that  he  saw  us  speaking, 
he  will  never  be  satisfied  until  he  has  found  out  all  about  us. 
You  know  what  kind  of  men  these  fellows  are,  better  than  I 
do,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that,  rather  than  run  any  risk  in  the 
matter,  they  would  pounce  upon  us  and  throw  us  overboard. 

76 


A  Desperate  Encounter 

I  advise  that  we  keep  watch  in  turn.  It's  already  getting 
dark,  and,  if  you  like,  I'll  take  the  first  watch.  I'll  wake  you 
in  a  couple  of  hours,  and  you  can  do  the  same  for  me  when 
you  have  had  your  turn.    Hush !     They  are  moving." 

Turning  his  head,  Jim  saw  the  natives  rise  to  their  feet 
and  disappear  down  the  hatchway.  Ten  minutes  later  they 
climbed  to  the  deck  again,  bearing  a  large  dish  and  a  gourd 
of  water,  and,  having  given  the  steersman  a  drink  and 
placed  a  pile  of  food  beside  him,  they  advanced  to  the  mast 
and  sat  down  there,  motioning  to  Jim  and  Tom  to  join 
them.  Gladly  did  the  young  fellows  obey  the  summons,  for 
many  hours  had  elapsed  since  they  had  partaken  of  any  food, 
and  their  naturally  keen  appetites  were  sharpened  by  the  sea 
air  and  by  the  excitement  of  the  past  few  hours.  Indeed,  up 
to  that  moment,  so  much  had  occurred  that  Jim  had  had  no 
time  to  think  of  food,  for  all  his  thoughts  had  been  concen- 
trated upon  his  surroundings.  But  the  sight  of  it  reminded 
him  at  once  of  his  long  fast,  and  he  joined  the  group,  feeling 
that  it  would  require  a  large  amount  to  satisfy  his  hunger. 

Squatting  around  the  bowl,  they  helped  themselves  to 
dates,  of  which  there  was  an  abundant  supply.  Simple 
though  the  food  was  it  was  satisfying,  and  Jim  soon  returned 
to  his  old  position,  feeling  very  much  better.  Tom  remained 
for  a  short  while  chatting  with  the  natives,  and  then  rejoined 
his  friend.  It  was  now  evening,  and  within  a  few  minutes 
darkness  fell,  for  there  is  scarcely  any  twilight  in  the 
Tropics. 

"  The  night  will  be  a  cold  one,  and  the  dew  heavy,"  said 
the  master,  coming  up  to  them.  "  You  had  better  go  down 
into  the  hold  and  sleep  there.  I  will  post  a  man  up  here  to 
keep  watch." 

"  If  it  is  the  same  to  you,  we  would  rather  remain  where 

77 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

we  are,"  Tom  answered  promptly.  "  You  see,  we  are  not  used 
to  this  kind  of  thing,  and  that  stuffy  hold  makes  us  feel  ill. 
We  will  ask  you  to  lend  us  a  couple  of  blankets  in  which  to 
wrap  ourselves." 

"You  shall  have  them,  but  you  cannot  sleep  here,  for  the 
look-out  man  must  stand  in  this  position;  but  you  can  go 
farther  along  the  deck,  if  you  like.  Come  with  me  now,  and 
I  shall  give  you  what  you  have  asked  for." 

Ten  minutes  later  Jim  and  his  friend  were  wrapped  from 
head  to  foot  in  thick  blankets,  and  had  taken  their  places 
close  to  the  bulwark  on  one  side,  and  about  the  centre  of  the 
vessel.  As  they  did  so  one  of  the  crew  passed  them  and  went 
to  take  his  station  forward,  while  the  remainder  proceeded 
aft,  and  throwing  themselves  down  upon  the  deck,  prepared 
to  sleep.  Two  hours  passed  without  incident,  Tom's  heavy 
breathing  telling  clearly  that  he  was  asleep.  Then  Jim, 
whose  eyes  had  been  wide  open  all  the  time,  touched  him 
gently  with  his  foot,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  that 
he  had  awakened  his  companion.  Then  curling  himself  in 
his  blanket,  he  closed  his  eyes.  He  could  not  sleep,  however, 
for,  though  he  was  tired  out  with  the  long  day  of  excitement, 
his  novel  position,  and  the  thought  that  danger  threatened 
them,  kept  him  wide  awake.  He  was,  therefore,  fully  pre- 
pared when  Tom  stealthily  stretched  out  an  arm  and  tugged 
at  his  blanket,  and  at  once  sat  up  with  his  back  against  the 
bulwark.  Once  more  it  was  time  for  his  companion's  watch, 
and  Jim,  who  was  now  feeling  decidedly  drowsy,  awoke  him 
and  lay  down  again  upon  the  deck.  A  few  minutes  later  he 
was  fast  asleep,  and  remained  so  for  a  considerable  period. 
But  a  shout  from  Tom  suddenly  roused  him,  and,  starting 
up,  he  saw  that  a  struggle  was  taking  place  within  a  few  feet 
of  him.    Dawn  was  just  breaking,  and  the  light  enabled  him 

78 


A  Desperate  Encounter 

to  discover  the  fact  that  his  companion  was  clasped  in  the 
arms  of  two  of  the  natives,  who  were  hustling  him  towards 
the  bulwarks,  and  evidently  endeavouring  to  throw  him  over- 
board. 

Springing  to  his  feet,  Jim  leapt  across  the  deck  at  one 
bound,  and  sent  his  fist  crashing  into  the  face  of  one  of 
Tom's  opponents.  Then,  with  a  shout,  he  clasped  the  other 
by  the  neck,  and,  tearing  him  from  his  hold,  sent  him  reeling 
across  the  deck. 

"What  has  happened,  Tom?"  he  asked.  "What  made 
them  attack  you  ?  " 

"  I  can't  say,"  was  the  breathless  answer ;  "  but  I  deserved 
to  be  thrown  overboard,  for  I  believe  I  had  fallen  asleep.  At 
any  rate,  they  were  upon  me  before  I  was  aware  of  it,  and, 
while  one  held  me  by  the  shoulders  and  placed  a  hand 
firmly  over  my  mouth,  the  other  caught  me  by  the  legs,  and 
hustled  me  to  the  side.  I  fought  like  a  cat,  and  managed  to 
free  my  mouth.     But  you  saved  my  life,  old  chap." 

"  Look  out !  They  are  preparing  to  rush  again,"  cried  Jim, 
in  a  warning  voice.    "  I  suppose  we  must  make  a  fight  for  it." 

As  they  were  talking,  the  two  men  who  had  attacked  Tom 
had  picked  themselves  up,  and  had  retired  to  their  comrades, 
who  stood  close  to  the  helm.  That  they  were  disconcerted 
by  the  sudden  resistance  was  evident,  but,  seeing  only  two 
unarmed  young  fellows,  they  forgot  their  fear,  and  at  once 
prepared  to  renew  the  combat.  Snatching  arms  from  a  pile 
which  lay  beside  them  on  the  deck,  they  shouted  to  their 
comrades  to  join  in  the  struggle,  and  then  came  rushing 
towards  Jim  and  Tom  at  their  fastest  pace. 

It  was  a  critical  moment,  and  might  well  have  unnerved 
the  bravest  of  men.  Indeed,  Tom  was  so  shaken  by  the 
narrow  escape  he  had  had,  that,  for  a  second  or  two,  he  did 

79 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

nothing  but  stare  at  his  opponents,  as  if  fascinated.  Jim, 
however,  was  fully  alive  to  the  danger,  and  promptly  took 
measures  to  protect  himself.  Without  taking  his  eyes  from 
the  natives  he  felt  for  and  grasped  the  butt  of  a  revolver,  and, 
as  they  approached,  presented  it  at  their  heads,  hesitating  to 
press  the  trigger  in  the  hope  that  a  sight  of  the  weapon  would 
overawe  them.  But  they  were  maddened  with  rage,  and, 
with  shrill  cries,  came  on  boldly,  waving  their  swords  above 
their  heads. 

Crack!  Jim  pressed  the  trigger  ever  so  gently,  and,  to 
his  astonishment,  the  report  had  scarcely  rung  out  upon  the 
air  when  the  leading  man  suddenly  tossed  his  weapon  above 
his  head  and  fell  to  the  deck  with  a  crash.  A  second  later, 
the  native  who  followed  him  tripped  over  his  body,  and 
came  sprawling  upon  all  fours,  where  he  lay,  stunned  by 
the   fall. 

"  Now  get  ready  for  the  other  two,"  cried  Jim.  "  Pull 
yourself  together,  Tom,  and  when  they  rush,  leave  me  to 
manage  the  first  one.  You  can  put  a  bullet  into  the  second, 
if  necessary,  but  we  don't  want  to  kill  them  all,  if  it  can  be 
helped.     Ah,  here  they  come !  " 

Undeterred  by  the  quick  fate  which  had  befallen  their 
comrades,  the  master  of  the  dhow  advanced  cautiously  along 
the  deck,  accompanied  by  the  steersman,  and  armed  with  an 
enormous  double-handed  sword,  which  he  held  well  before 
him.  The  steersman  snatched  at  one  of  the  guns  which  had 
been  loaded  in  preparation  for  the  attack  of  the  pirate  on  the 
previous  evening,  and  sinking  upon  one  knee,  took  steady 
aim  in  Jim's  direction.  He  was  in  the  act  of  firing  it  when 
Tom,  who  had  suddenly  come  to  his  senses,  took  a  snapshot 
at  him  with  his  revolver,  in  the  hope  of  killing  him  before 
he  could  do  any  harm.    But  the  bullet  flew  wide  of  the  mark, 

80 


A  Desperate  Encounter 

and  striking  the  bulwarks,  buried  itself  deep  in  the  wood. 
An  instant  later  there  was  a  loud  report,  and,  to  Jim's 
amazement,  the  folds  of  linen  which  were  bound  about  his 
head  flew  high  into  the  air,  while  he  staggered  back,  feeling 
as  though  someone  had  struck  him  violently. 

But  he  was  not  the  lad  to  give  way  without  a  struggle, 
or  to  cry  out  before  he  was  hurt.  Starting  forward  a  pace 
or  two,  he  levelled  his  revolver  at  the  man  who  had  just 
fired,  and  who  was,  at  that  moment,  engaged  in  reaching  for 
another  gun.  Sighting  carefully,  and  with  the  utmost  cool- 
ness, he  pressed  gently  upon  the  trigger,  and  had  the  satis- 
faction of  seeing  the  native  start  to  his  feet  with  a  shriek  of 
pain,  and  then  collapse  suddenly  upon  the  deck. 

"  And  now  for  the  master !  "  he  said  quietly,  turning  to 
Tom.  "  Tell  him  that  if  he  moves  a  pace  forward  we  will 
shoot  him  like  a  dog." 

"  Drop  your  weapon !  "  Tom  at  once  shouted,  advancing 
towards  the  man,  revolver  in  hand.  "  We  have  already 
killed  two  of  your  number,  and  will  shoot  you  also,  if  you 
show  the  slightest  wish  to  continue  the  conflict.  Drop  your 
sword,  I  say,  and  hands  up !  " 

"  You  are  too  strong  for  us,"  answered  the  native  humbly, 
letting  his  weapon  tumble  with  a  crash  to  the  deck.  "  Spare 
my  life,  and  I  promise  not  to  attack  you  again." 

"  That's  right !  And  now,  wake  this  fellow  up,"  continued 
Tom,  pointing  to  the  man  who  had  been  stunned,  and  who 
was  now  recovering  consciousness.  "  When  you've  done  that, 
go  aft,  and  send  him  into  the  bows ;  but  before  doing  so,  you 
can  repeat  to  him  what  I  have  said." 

Meekly  obeying  these  commands,  the  master  of  the  vessel 
went  to  his  fallen  comrade  and  shook  him  savagely.  Then 
he  dragged  him  to  his  feet,  and  shouting  words  of  warn- 

81 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

ing  in  his  ear,  sent  him  forward,  retiring  himself  to  the 
helm. 

"  And  now  let  us  see  to  these  other  fellows,"  said  Jim. 
"  I  expect  the  first  is  dead,  for  I  fired  at  close  quarters,  and 
aimed  plump  at  the  middle  of  his  chest.  The  second  was  a 
longer  and  more  difficult  shot,  and  may  not  have  proved 
fatal." 

Keeping  their  revolvers  in  their  hands,  in  case  of  treach- 
ery, they  crossed  the  deck  to  the  fallen  native,  and  turned 
him  upon  his  back,  Jim  in  vain  attempting  to  disguise  the 
horror  with  which  the  sight  filled  him. 

"  Dead !  "  he  said  in  a  whisper.  "  It's  terrible  to  think 
that  I  killed  him." 

"  I  dare  say  it  is,  old  boy,"  Tom  answered  calmly.  "  But 
then,  you  see,  it  would  have  been  far  more  terrible  if  he  had 
run  you  through  with  this  murderous-looking  sword,  and  had 
then  thrown  you  into  the  sea.  It's  not  nice,  I  admit,  to  feel 
that  that  ugly-looking  wound  is  due  to  your  bullet,  but  then, 
you  know,  he  fully  deserved  it,  for  he  had  every  intention  of 
killing  you,  and,  as  you  saw,  did  his  best  to  rid  the  world  of 
my  presence.  So,  cheer  up,  Jim.  It  was  a  splendid  shot,  and 
I'm  still  marvelling  at  your  pluck  and  coolness.  If  it  hadn't 
been  for  you,  I  really  believe  that  our  bodies  would  have  been 
floating  a  mile  or  more  astern  by  now,  a  prey  to  the  sharks, 
for  I  was  completely  unhinged  by  my  struggle  with  them. 
You  behaved  grandly,  I  tell  you,  and  you  saved  both  my 
life  and  your  own." 

"  I  don't  think  so,"  replied  Jim  modestly.  "  You  see,  I 
couldn't  very  well  have  behaved  in  any  other  way.  Your 
shout  awakened  me  with  a  start  to  find  you  fighting  with 
those  two  ruffians.  Naturally,  I  went  to  your  help,  and  as  an 
Englishman's  first  weapons  are  his  fists,  I  used  mine  with 

82 


A  Desperate  Encounter 

a  result  that  fairly  astonished  me.  After  that,  everything 
was,  of  course,  plain  sailing." 

"  There's  no  plain  sailing  at  all  about  it,  Jim,  my  boy," 
said  Tom  sharply,  "  and  I'm  not  going  to  allow  you  to  run 
down  the  share  you  took  in  the  matter.  You  behaved  splen- 
didly, and  with  the  greatest  pluck,  while  I  made  a  fool  of 
myself.  First  of  all,  I  fell  asleep  when  I  should  have  been 
keeping  careful  watch,  and  then  I  was  so  thoroughly  upset 
by  the  attack  made  upon  me  that  I  was  practically  useless. 
But  there,  I  can  see  you  don't  like  the  subject,  so  I'll  say  no 
more.    Shake  hands !    That's  right.    I  feel  better  now." 

"  Then  let  us  look  at  this  other  fellow,  Tom." 

Walking  along  the  deck,  they  knelt  down  beside  the  second 
native  who  had  fallen,  and  turning  him  over,  at  once  saw 
that  he  was  dead,  for  he  had  been  struck  in  the  neck. 

"  A  lucky  shot,"  said  Jim,  looking  pityingly  at  the  man. 

"  And  mine  was  an  execrable  one !  "  exclaimed  Tom,  in 
disgust.  "  It  almost  lost  you  your  life.  Let's  look  at  your 
head." 

"  Yes,  it  was  a  narrow  shave,  Tom,  but  I  was  so  excited 
that  I  forgot  all  about  it  in  a  moment.  George!  Look  at 
that!" 

Jim  placed  his  hand  to  his  head,  and  withdrew  it  with  a 
long  curl  of  dark  hair,  which  had  been  neatly  severed  by  the 
bullet. 

"  Yes,"  he  repeated,  "  it  was  a  close  shave,  and  I  never 
want  another  like  it.  Indeed,  I  have  very  much  to  be 
thankful  for,  for  had  the  gun  been  aimed  half  an  inch  lower, 
my  head  would  have  been  shattered,  and  I  should  be  lying 
like  that  poor  fellow  there." 


83 


CHAPTER  VI 

ON  AFRICAN  SHORES 

There  was  no  doubt  that  Jim  had  good  cause  to  be  thank- 
ful, for  his  had  been  an  extremely  narrow  escape;  and  as  he 
turned  away  from  his  companion,  he  was  quite  overcome  at 
the  thought,  for  this  was  the  very  first  time  he  had  known 
what  it  was  to  be  face  to  face  with  death.  Burying  his  face 
in  his  hands,  so  that  Tom  should  not  see  his  emotion,  he  stood 
there,  leaning  upon  the  bulwark,  for  at  least  five  minutes. 
Then  suddenly  he  roused  himself,  and  went  to  join  his  com- 
rade, who  respecting  his  feelings,  had  walked  away  to  the 
other  side  of  the  deck. 

"  Well,  Tom,"  he  said  cheerfully,  "  the  expedition  has  so 
far  proved  an  undoubted  success,  and  this  gun-runner  is 
safely  in  our  hands.  The  next  question  to  be  considered  is 
what  we  are  to  do  with  her.  You  said  that  you  would  prob- 
ably sail  her  back  to  Aden ;  but  doesn't  it  seem  a  shame,  now 
that  we  are  almost  within  sight  of  Africa,  to  return  to  our 
starting-point  ? " 

"It  does,  Jim;  and  I  am  in  hopes  that  that  will  not  be 
necessary.  As  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  make  out,  we  have 
held  steadily  upon  our  course  since  we  left  Aden;  and  in 
that  case  the  gunboat  should  soon  catch  us  up.  I  propose 
that  we  remain  where  we  are  until  she  comes  up  with  us, 
and  then  we'll  ask  them  to  do  us  the  favour  of  taking  us 
on  to  Berbera.  They'll  be  glad  enough  to  help  us,  for  this 
capture  will  appear  in  their  names,  and  will  be  a  feather  in 

84 


On  African  Shores 

the  captain's  cap,  though  he  will  not  fail  to  give  us  the  credit 
that  is  due  to  us.  You  see,  it  wouldn't  do  to  publish  the 
full  facts  of  the  case,  for,  if  the  natives  learnt  that  I  had 
a  hand  in  the  capture,  my  life  would  not  be  worth  an  hour's 
purchase,  and  I  should  have  to  leave  Aden  for  good  and  all. 
But,   I  say " 

"  What  ? "  asked  Jim.  "  You  were  about  to  suggest 
something." 

"  About  those  fellows  there,  old  man,"  Tom  replied,  point- 
ing to  the  bodies  of  the  natives. 

"They're  not  very  pleasant  objects  to  look  at,  Tom;  and 
if  you  think  it  right,  I  vote  that  we  tie  some  weights  to  them 
and  throw  them  over  the  side.  Half  a  dozen  guns  should  be 
sufficient  if  we  cannot  find  anything  better.  What  do  you 
think  of  the  plan  ?  " 

"  It  will  have  to  be  done  sooner  or  later,  Jim,  and  I  think 
had  better  be  carried  out  at  once.  Let's  slip  down  into  the 
hold  and  see  what  we  can  find.  But — that  would  not  do, 
for  there  is  no  trusting  these  native  beggars;  and  it's  more 
than  possible  that  while  we  were  beneath  decks  they  would 
play  a  trick  upon  us." 

"  That  has  occurred  to  me,  too,  Tom ;  but  from  the  look 
of  them,  I  don't  think  we  have  much  to  fear.  They  are 
thoroughly  cowed,  and  go  in  terror  of  our  revolvers.  I'll 
wait  here  at  the  stern  while  you  go  below.  Just  order  the 
master  to  go  forward,  so  that  I  can  keep  an  eye  upon  both  of 
them.  If  they  show  signs  of  wishing  to  attack  me,  I'll  shout, 
and  you  can  hop  up  to  my  help." 

"  That  will  do  famously,"  answered  Tom.  "  Look  here," 
he  continued,  addressing  the  late  commander  of  the  dhow, 
who  stood  a  few  paces  away,  watching  his  captors  through 
the  corners  of  his  eyes,  "  get  away  forward  to  your  comrade, 

85 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

and  sit  upon  the  deck.  If  either  of  you  attempts  to  move, 
you  will  be  shot.  So  take  good  care  to  keep  absolutely  still, 
for  my  friend  is  a  capital  shot,  as  you  have  been  able  to  see 
for  yourself."* 

The  precaution  was  a  wise  one;  but  a  glance  at  the  two 
prisoners  showed  that  it  was  scarcely  necessary,  for  all  their 
courage  had  fled.  Indeed,  at  the  mention  of  Jim's  prowess 
with  the  revolver,  they  shivered  visibly,  while  their  eyes 
wandered  to  the  two  figures  lying  upon  the  deck. 

"  You  can  trust  us  to  be  still,"  said  the  master  humbly. 
"  We  have  seen  your  bravery,  and  know  that  we  are  beaten. 
Promise  that  you  will  spare  our  lives." 

"  I  can  make  no  promise  at  all,"  answered  Tom  sternly. 
"  You  have  been  caught  in  the  act  of  carrying  arms  to  the 
Mullah,  and  in  aiding  the  enemies  of  the  Government,  and 
to  the  latter  you  must  answer." 

"What  is  the  talk  about?"  asked  Jim  at  this  moment; 
for,  being  entirely  ignorant  of  the  language,  he  could  not 
even  guess  the  drift  of  the  conversation.  "  I  hear  you  chat- 
ting away  to  these  fellows,  and  long  to  be  able  to  join 
in  and  understand  what  is  said.  I've  quite  made  up  my 
mind  that,  at  the  first  opportunity,  I  shall  begin  to  take 
lessons." 

"  He  is  asking  me  to  promise  them  their  lives,"  explained 
Tom,  "  and  I  have  told  him  that  it  is  impossible,  and  that 
someone  else  will  have  to  do  that  for  them." 

"  But  you  could  say  that  you  would  speak  for  them," 
exclaimed  Jim,  a  sudden  thought  occurring  to  him. 

"  And  why  ?  You  seem  to  forget,  old  boy,  that  a  few 
minutes  ago  these  fellows  were  doing  their  best  to  kill  us. 
And  now  you  want  to  help  them  to  escape  the  punishment 
which  they  have  earned." 

86 


On  African  Shores 

Tom  became  quite  indignant  at  Jim's  words,  and  turned 
away  from  him  impatiently,  as  if  it  angered  him  to  listen. 

"  Steady.  Wait  until  you  have  heard  all  that  I  have  to 
say,"  cried  Jim,  catching  him  by  the  arm  and  detaining  him. 
"  Did  you  not  tell  me  that  one  of  the  crew  knew  more 
than  he  would  admit  about  that  white  prisoner  of  the  Mul- 
lah?" 

"  Yes,  that  is  the  case,"  answered  Tom,  unable  as  yet  to 
follow  his  companion's  meaning. 

il  Well,"  continued  Jim  eagerly,  "  these  fellows  deserve 
to  lose  their  lives,  but,  you  know,  the  Government  are  no  more 
fond  of  hanging  people  than  we  are.  You  could,  therefore, 
safely  say  to  them  that  you  would  speak  on  their  behalf  on 
certain  conditions.    Don't  you  see  my  point  now  ?  " 

"By  Jove!  Of  course,  I  do,  Jim!  What  a  duffer  I  am, 
to  be  sure!    I'll  see  what  I  can  do  at  once." 

They  went  along  the  deck  towards  the  natives,  who  watched 
them  furtively,  fearful  of  what  was  coming,  and  expecting 
at  any  moment  to  be  shot  where  they  sat. 

"  I  have  talked  this  matter  over  with  my  friend,"  said 
Tom  sternly,  addressing  the  man  who  had  commanded  the 
captured  dhow.  "  We  both  agree  that  we  should  be  within 
our  rights  if  we  shot  you.  But  you  have  asked  me  to  promise 
you  your  lives,  and  I  am  inclined  to  do  so  on  certain  con- 
ditions. The  first  is  that  you  solemnly  promise  to  remain 
faithful  to  us  until  we  hand  you  over  to  the  Government; 
and  the  second,  that  you  tell  us  all  you  know  about  this  white 
man  who  recently  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Mullah." 

"  We  shall  fall  in  with  your  wishes  gladly,"  replied  the 
native,  scarcely  able  to  repress  a  shout  of  joy.  "  We  sol- 
emnly declare  that  we  will  be  true  to  you,  and  will  not  ven- 
ture  to  attack  you.     As  for  the  other  matter,  we  do  not 

87 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

know  much,  but  we  have  heard  that  the  prisoner  was  a 
soldier,  what  the  Hindoos  in  Aden  call  a  '  sahib.'  " 

"  He  says  that  the  prisoner  was  an  officer,"  explained 
Tom,  turning  to  Jim,  so  that  he  should  be  able  to  follow  the 
conversation. 

"  Ask  him  if  he  heard  the  name,"  was  the  eager  reply. 

"  My  friend  wishes  to  know  more,"  said  Tom,  continuing 
his  interrogation.    "  What  was  the  name  of  this  prisoner?  " 

''That  I  cannot  say;  but  he  was  'sahib'  and  'colonel,'  so 
the  man  who  told  me  of  his  capture  said." 

Jim  was  listening  eagerly,  vainly  endeavouring  to  under- 
stand all  that  passed,  and  he  could  have  leapt  for  joy  when 
Tom  translated  the  man's  answer. 

"  That  settles  it,  then,"  he  said.  "  Up  to  this  there  has 
been  some  doubt  as  to  whether  my  father  was  the  man  who 
reached  shore  alive,  but  now  I  am  certain  that  it  was  he; 
for  I  have  been  through  the  list  of  passengers,  and  there  was 
only  one  colonel  on  board,  and  he,  of  course,  was  Colonel 
Hubbard." 

"  I  think  you  are  right  in  what  you  say,"  answered  Tom, 
after  a  pause.  "  I  must  confess  that,  until  this  moment,  I 
have  been  very  doubtful,  for  I  happen  to  know  that  nine 
British  officers  out  of  ten  wear  a  watch  bracelet  upon  their 
wrists-.  It  is  a  habit  which  seems  to  have  become  general 
during  the  Boer  war.  Still,  the  fact  that  this  survivor  was 
tall,  and  in  other  respects  corresponded  with  your  father, 
made  it  possible  that  it  would  turn  out  to  be  he.  Now, 
however,  the  question  is  settled,  for,  no  doubt,  when  the 
Mullah's  men  captured  him  he  gave  his  name,  hoping  that 
that  would  cause  them  to  release  him.  They  know  quite 
sufficient  of  the  British  to  feel  sure  that  a  colonel  is  a  man 
of   some   importance,    and    they   must   have   boasted   of    it. 

88 


On  African  Shores 

That's  how  the  news  has  got  to  this  fellow's  ears.  Yes,  I 
think  you  may  take  it  as  certain  that  your  father  is  the 
white  prisoner  spoken  of,  for  if  not,  who  else  could  it  be? " 

"  There  is  no  doubt  about  it,"  answered  Jim  emphatically. 
"I  was  never  very  doubtful,  and  now  any  fears  I  may  have 
had  are  absolutely  set  at  rest.  But  ask  him  more,  Tom. 
For  instance,  perhaps  he  knows  where  father  has  been  taken, 
and  whether  he  is  being  well  treated." 

Turning  again  to  the  native,  Tom  plied  him  with  question 
after  question,  and  was  able  to  elicit  the  fact  that  the  white 
prisoner  was  constantly  with  the  Mullah,  who  often  changed 
his  whereabouts.  Also  that  he  acted  as  a  slave,  but  was  safe 
for  the  time  being. 

"  How  long  he  will  continue  to  be  sure  of  his  life  I  cannot 
say,"  the  master  continued  thoughtfully.  "  But  I  feel  certain 
that  if  the  Mullah  suffers  at  the  hands  of  the  British  troops, 
he  will  avenge  himself  by  slaying  the  white  man.  Indeed,  I 
wonder  at  his  allowing  him  to  remain  alive  so  long,  for  all 
those  who  are  not  of  his  own  colour  and  religion  are  his 
bitter  enemies,  and  he  slays  them  without  remorse." 

"  So  you  can  feel  easy  about  his  safety  for  a  time,"  said 
Tom,  as  he  discussed  the  facts  with  Jim;  "we  know  that  the 
Government  is  making  preparations  for  a  general  advance, 
and  that  nothing  can  be  done  till  all  is  absolutely  ready.  I 
should  say  that  we  have  quite  two  months,  and  perhaps  more 
than  that,  in  which  to  effect  his  rescue." 

"  We  must  try  to  do  it  in  two  weeks,  if  that  is  at  all 
possible,"  said  Jim  with  decision.  "  You  see,  there  is  always 
an  element  of  doubt,  and  until  my  father  is  out  of  the  Mul- 
lah's hands,  I  do  not  think  we  can  ever  consider  him  out  of 
danger.  These  native  beggars  are  cruel  and  capricious;  at 
least,  so  I  have  always  been  given  to  understand.    He  might 

89 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

order  his  prisoner  to  be  killed  in  his  rage  at  hearing  that  the 
British  were  preparing  to  attack  him,  and  even  might  make 
the  capture  of  these  guns  sufficient  excuse  to  execute  father. 
It  is  horrible  to  imagine  such  a  thing." 

"  Don't  be  down-hearted,  old  boy,"  exclaimed  Tom  encour- 
agingly. "  If  you  allow  yourself  to  think  in  that  way,  you 
will  be  miserable.  Make  up  your  mind  that  your  gov'nor  is 
alive  and  well,  and  badly  in  need  of  his  freedom;  and  that 
you  are  going  to  bring  it  to  him.  That's  the  way  to  look  at 
the  matter." 

"You're  right,"  answered  Jim  with  a  sigh  of  relief. 
"Better  look  at  the  bright  side  of  things,  and  just  put  all 
one's  back  into  the  task.  Yes,  that  is  the  way,  I'm  sure;  and 
by  Jove!  I'll  do  as  you  advise,  and  what's  more,  I'll  rescue 
father,  or  die  in  the  attempt." 

"  Spoken  like  a  man !  If  you  say  that  you'll  carry  the 
job  out  successfully,  I  am  sure  that  that  is  half  the  battle, 
and  that  you  will  get  along  ever  so  much  better.  I  can  tell 
you  this,  that  I  will  help  you  to  the  best  of  my  power,  for 
this  expedition  has  taken  my  fancy;  and  besides,  Jim,  I  owe 
you  something.  Kemember  that  half  an  hour  ago  you  saved 
my  life.  I  want  to  pay  back  the  debt,  you  know;  and  how 
could  I  do  it  better  than  by  standing  beside  you  in  this 
affair?" 

There  was  no  doubt  that  Tom  was  thoroughly  in  earnest, 
for  he  spoke  with  a  vigour  to  which  his  companion  was  un- 
used, and  to  show  how  deeply  he  felt,  grasped  him  firmly  by 
the  hand. 

"  Thank  you,"  Jim  answered,  returning  the  clasp  with  one 
as  warm.  "  As  to  the  debt,  I  fancy  that  we  are  quits,  for, 
had  you  not  stood  by  me,  we  should  both  have  been  like  those 
two  poor  fellows  there.    Let's  get  rid  of  them.    I  cannot  bear 

90 


On  African  Shores 

to  look  at  them,  for  it  reminds  me  that  it  was  I  who  caused 
their  death." 

"  Eight.  We'll  set  these  two  natives  to  work,  for  they 
will  understand  it  better." 

Tom  beckoned  to  the  master,  and  gave  him  instructions  to 
tie  half  a  dozen  guns  to  each  corpse,  and  then  consign  them 
to  the  sea.  When  that  necessary  but  unpleasant  task  was 
satisfactorily  accomplished,  he  ordered  the  two  prisoners  into 
the  bows  again,  and  retired  with  Jim  to  the  stern,  from  which 
point  of  vantage  they  could  keep  a  watch  upon  their  pris- 
oners. Not  that  that  was  necessary  now,  for  the  promise  that 
he  would  speak  on  their  behalf,  made  by  Tom,  had  put  the 
natives  on  their  best  behaviour.  Indeed,  unbidden,  they 
began  to  sweep  the  decks,  and  then  suggested  that  they 
should  prepare  some  food. 

"  We  have  taken  nothing  to  break  our  fast,"  said  the 
master,  coming  to  them  as  they  sat  by  the  tiller.  "  Is  it  your 
wish  that  I  and  my  comrade  should  go  in  search  of  something 
with  which  to  stave  off  our  hunger  ?  " 

"  You  can  go,  certainly,"  answered  Tom  readily ;  "  but  one 
at  a  time.  It  does  not  matter  what  it  is  so  long  as  there  is 
sufficient,  for  we  are  badly  in  want  of  food." 

In  a  short  time  the  master  returned  and  placed  before  them 
a  plate  of  dried  meat  and  some  pieces  of  wheaten  cake.  This 
they  devoured  with  the  utmost  satisfaction,  completing  the 
repast  with  a  copious  draught  of  cool  water.  Then  both  rose 
to  their  feet,  and  began  to  patrol  the  deck,  for  after  having 
lived  ashore  for  the  greater  part  of  one's  existence,  the 
craving  for  movement,  for  exercise  of  some  description,  when 
aboard  a  ship  of  such  small  proportions  as  the  dhow,  is  very 
great.  Half  an  hour  later  Jim  gave  vent  to  a  sudden  shout 
°f  joy,  and  pointed  astern. 

9i 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  What  do  you  make  of  that  ? "  he  asked  in  excited  tones. 
"  No,  not  there,  hut  more  to  the  left." 

Stretching  out  his  arm  so  that  his  companion  could  follow 
the  direction,  he  pointed  to  the  horizon,  where  a  faint  streak 
of  dark  colour  was  visible.  Tom  looked  at  it  for  some  minutes 
without  answering,  but  at  last  he  turned  to  Jim  with  smiling 
features,  which  told  that  he  had  guessed  at  the  origin  of  the 
cloud. 

"  It's  the  gunboat,  sure  enough,"  he  said,  "  and  I  tell  you 
that  it  lifts  a  weight  from  my  mind.  You  see,  things  have 
been  rather  uncertain,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  we  have 
been  in  great  danger.  Of  course,  we  came  through  this 
scuffle  remarkably  well,  but  if  that  pirate  fellow  had  turned 
up  again  we  should  have  been  in  a  nasty  mess.  There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  the  patch  of  dark  colour  on  the  horizon  is  a 
steamer  of  some  sort,  and  I  fancy  it  will  turn  out  to  be  the 
gunboat,  for  this  is  right  out  of  the  track  of  ordinary  ship- 
ping, and  though  a  few  steamers  are  just  now  engaged  in 
bringing  stores  to  Berbera  for  the  Mullah's  expedition,  I 
happen  to  know  that  none  were  leaving  Aden  during  this 
week.  So  we  can  take  it  for  certain  that  that  is  the  gunboat, 
and  I  can  tell  you  I  am  jolly  glad.  Won't  it  be  grand  when 
she  comes  alongside  and  finds  the  capture  already  made !  " 

"  It  ought  to  get  you  promotion,  at  any  rate,"  answered 
Jim.  "  After  all,  when  you  come  to  look  at  the  matter 
quietly,  you  must  admit  that  it  was  rather  a  risky  thing  to 
do.  Who  else  would  have  thought  of  making  up  as  a  Somali 
native  and  shipping  aboard  the  very  dhow  upon  the  capture 
of  which  you  were  bent?  Mind  you,  I  take  no  credit  to 
myself  for  that  part  of  the  adventure.  It  was  you  who 
planned  the  whole  thing,  and  I  think  you  deserve  no  end 
of  praise.    But,  I  say,  look  at  her  again." 

92 


On  African  Shores 

By  now  the  dark  streak  had  developed  into  a  low-lying 
hull,  which  was  fast  coming  up  from  the  horizon.  Very  soon 
a  stumpy  mast  could  be  seen,  poking  up  barely  into  the  blue 
sky,  and,  within  twenty  minutes,  Jim  and  Tom  could  even 
make  out  her  guns,  two  of  which  stood  amidships,  and 
formed  her  only  broadside,  an  amply  sufficient  one  in  such 
waters.  Half  an  hour  had  barely  passed  before  the  gunboat 
came  rushing  alongside,  surging  through  the  swell,  and 
sending  the  foam  seething  in  a  broad  band  of  white  from  her 
cut-water.  Then  she  put  her  helm  hard  over,  and  turning 
upon  her  heel  in  the  space  of  a  few  seconds,  and  with  a 
heave  which  caused  her  to  roll  her  scuppers  into  the  sea,  she 
came  up  on  the  other  quarter,  and  lay  to,  with  the  muzzle  of 
one  of  her  quick-firers  grinning  at  the  occupants  of  the  dhow. 

"  Dhow  ahoy !  "  came  in  stentorian  tones. 

"  Who's  that  ?  "  shouted  Tom  in  reply,  springing  upon  the 
bulwark  to  obtain  a  better  look.    "Is  it  Humphreys?" 

"  Yes ;  and  who  are  you  ?  " 

"  Government  agent  from  Aden,"  sang  out  Tom,  refraining 
from  giving  his  name,  for,  had  he  done  so,  the  natives  would 
have  heard,  and  it  would  have  become  common  property  be- 
fore very  long.  "  I  want  to  hand  over  this  vessel  to  you. 
She's  full  of  cheap  guns,  which  were  going  to  the  Mullah. 
We've  a  couple  of  prisoners,  too." 

"  Bravo !  Congratulate  you !  "  was  shouted  from  the  gun- 
boat, while  at  the  same  moment  a  figure,  clad  from  head  to 
foot  in  snowy  white,  leapt  upon  the  diminutive  bridge  and 
signalled  to  the  dhow.  "  We'll  come  right  alongside,  and  then 
you  can  slip  aboard,  and  give  us  the  tale.    Any  casualties  ? " 

"  None,  I'm  glad  to  say,  though  one,  if  not  both,  of  us, 
was  nearly  killed.  But  we  shot  two  of  the  crew,  and  threw 
their  bodies  overboard  half  an  hour  ago." 

93 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"Look  out  for  us  now,"  was  shouted  from  the  gunboat. 
"  If  you  have  a  rope  fender,  or  two,  you  might  sling  them 
overboard.  Our  plates  are  too  thin  to  stand  bumping,  even 
against  the  wooden  sides  of  your  dhow." 

Jim  saw  the  commander  of  the  gunboat  grasp  the  handle 
of  the  telegraph,  and,  so  short  was  the  distance  intervening 
between  the  two  vessels,  that  he  could  actually  hear  the  tinkle 
of  the  bell  sounding  down  in  the  engine-room.  Then  the 
screws  whirled  around,  the  blades  churning  the  waters  of  the 
gulf  into  white  foam,  which  went  hissing  and  frothing  along 
the  sides  of  the  vessel  as  she  ran  astern.  Five  minutes  later, 
she  was  securely  fastened  to  the  dhow,  great  care  being  taken 
to  place  several  thick  rope  fenders  between  the  vessels,  to- 
gether with  some  fibre  matting  which  happened  to  be  aboard 
the  dhow.  Xo  sooner  was  all  to  his  liking  than  the  captain  of 
the  gunboat  stepped  on  to  the  bulwark  of  his  own  vessel,  and 
leapt  lightly  upon  the  deck  of  the  one  which  Jim  and  his 
companion  had  contrived  to  capture.  A  particularly  smart 
officer  he  looked,  too,  in  his  spruce  and  neatly  cut  white  drill- 
clothing.  Coming  forward,  with  outstretched  hand,  he  ad- 
vanced towards  Tom  with  a  smile  of  welcome. 

"  Glad  to  see  you — heartily  glad  to  see  you !  "  he  said. 
"  Ton  my  word,  when  the  Governor  told  me  for  what  I  was 
wanted,  and  packed  me  off  post-haste  last  night,  I  quite 
thought  I  was  on  a  wild-goose  chase.  It  seemed  to  me  that 
you  and  your  young  friend  must  have  run  your  heads  into  a 
perfect  hornets'-nest,  and  I  tell  you,  had  I  come  across  your 
bodies  floating  in  the  sea,  I  should  not  have  been  by  any 
means  astonished.  But  I'm  bound  to  say  that  the  Governor, 
though  fully  realizing  the  extent  of  the  danger,  thought  far 
better  of  your  chances  than  I  did.  You  see,  I've  often  met 
you  before  and  known  you  in  the  Club  at  Aden  as  a  clerk  in 

94 


On  African  Shores 

the  Civil  Service,  and  as  a  particularly  good  billiard-player. 
And  to  hear  suddenly  that  you  were  an  Intelligence  officer, 
who  was  notorious  for  success  in  worming  out  the  secrets  of 
the  natives,  was  quite  astonishing,  for  you  must  understand 
that  I  always  looked  upon  you  as  a  peaceful  sort  of  fellow." 

"  And  so  I  am,"  laughed  Tom.  "  You  see,  I've  lived  the 
best  part  of  my  life  in  Aden,  so  that  to  appear  as  a  native  is 
nothing  out  of  the  way  for  me.  I  am  so  thoroughly  used  to 
it  that  I  run  very  little  danger.  But  it's  different  with  my 
friend  here,  for  he  is  only  just  from  school,  and  doesn't 
understand  a  word  of  the  language,  and  yet  he  boldly  came 
with  me;  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  his  help,  I  can  honestly 
say  that  this  would  have  proved  my  last  adventure.  But  he 
turned  out  trumps,  and  proved  to  be  as  cool  and  steady  as  an 
old  hand,  and  thoroughly  plucky  into  the  bargain.  But,  I 
say,  let  me  introduce  him.  Jim  Hubbard — Captain  Hum- 
phreys." 

"  Glad  to  meet  you,  and  I  congratulate  you  on  coming  so 
well  out  of  your  first  engagement,"  said  the  officer,  gripping 
Jim  by  the  hand.  "  Never  been  under  fire  before,  I  suppose, 
and  never  seen  men  fighting  in  real  earnest?" 

"  Never !  "  answered  Jim,  returning  the  handshake  with 
equal  fervour;  for  the  captain  of  the  gunboat  was  an  open- 
hearted,  cheery  individual,  to  whom  one  was  bound  to  take 
on  the  instant.  "  I  must  admit,  too,  that  the  experience  for 
the  first  time  was  far  from  pleasant;  and  if  it  hadn't  been 
that  the  fighting  came  suddenly,  and  before  I  was  really 
prepared  for  it,  I  am  sure  I  should  have  been  in  a  regular 
funk.  You  see,  waiting  always  did  upset  me.  I  was  the 
same  at  school  when  I  was  in  for  a  licking,  and  had  orders  to 
attend  in  a  few  hours  at  the  Doctor's  study.  I'm  too  im- 
patient, I  suppose,  and  employ  the  interval  in  imagining  all 

95 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

kinds  of  awful  things.  But  I'm  sorry  to  say  that  I  killed  two 
of  the  natives  during  the  struggle." 

Jim  looked  the  captain  steadily  in  the  face,  and  then 
flushed  guiltily,  for  it  appeared  to  him  a  terrible  admission  to 
have  to  make. 

"  I  know  what  you  feel,  my  lad,"  was  the  hasty  answer, 
given  with  an  encouraging  smack  upon  the  back.  "  But 
that's  the  fortune  of  war,  you  know,  and  everyone  has  the 
same  regrets  at  first.  Why,  I  remember  how  terribly  upset  I 
was  when  I  sent  a  bullet  into  the  body  of  a  rascally  slave- 
dealer.  It  thoroughly  unnerved  me  when  I  looked  at  the 
fellow  afterwards.  But  my  chief  took  me  aside,  and  just 
put  the  matter  to  me  as  I  have  to  you.  You  may  take  it  from 
me,  that  if  you  engage  in  adventures  of  this  sort,  you  will 
kill  more  men  before  you  have  done,  though  always  in  self- 
defence.    It's  just  that  that  helps  one  to  get  over  the  feeling." 

"  And  now  about  the  dhow,"  interposed  Tom.  "  She's  full 
up  to  her  hatches  with  cheap  guns  and  ammunition,  and  I 
now  hand  her  over  to  you.  In  return,  I  ask  you,  if  you 
possibly  can,  to  take  us  to  Berbera,  for  we  are  bound  for 
Africa." 

"  So  the  Governor  told  me,  and  you  may  rely  on  it  that  I 
shall  do  as  you  ask,  for  I  know  how  important  it  is  for  you 
both  to  make  an  early  start  into  the  interior.  You  say  that 
the  dhow  is  full  of  cheap  arms.  If  that  is  the  case,  they  are 
unlikely  to  prove  of  any  use  to  the  Government,  and  we 
should  not  be  thanked  for  bringing  them  back.  I'll  just  pop 
below,  and  look  for  myself,  and  then  we'll  put  a  charge  of 
gun-cotton  into  her  and  blow  her  to  pieces.  It  will  be  the 
cheapest  and  best  plan  in  the  end.  But  you  may  rely  upon 
it,  Dixon,  that  I  shall  make  a  full  report  to  the  Governor,  and 
if  there  is  no  promotion  in  your  particular  branch,  then  I 

96 


On  African  Shores 

prophesy  that  your  salary  will  be  increased,  for  there  is  no 
doubt  that  this  is  a  most  important  capture.  Indeed,  had  all 
these  guns  reached  the  Mullah,  so  many  more  lives  would 
be  lost  in  the  coming  expedition.  So  you  can  see  for  yourself 
what  good  service  you  have  done." 

"It's  very  good  of  you  to  say  so,  Humphreys,"  answered 
Tom,  "  and  I  will  only  ask  you,  while  mentioning  the  fact  to 
the  Governor,  to  be  sure  that  my  name  is  not  published  in 
connection  with  the  capture,  for  it  is  important  for  me  to 
continue  to  be  known  as  a  simple  clerk  in  the  Civil  Service." 

The  captain  of  the  gunboat  readily  assented  to  this  pro- 
posal, and  then,  stepping  along  the  deck,  quickly  disappeared 
through  the  hatchway.  Ten  minutes  later  he  appeared  again, 
and  returned  aboard  his  own  vessel.  An  order  was  given, 
and  within  a  short  while  a  couple  of  seamen  went  into  the 
hold  of  the  dhow,  where  they  remained  for  half  an  hour. 
Meanwhile,  the  lashings  which  connected  the  two  vessels  were 
cast  off,  the  fenders  and  matting  removed,  and  all  aboard 
the  dhow,  except  the  men  who  were  placing  the  fuse,  were 
ordered  to  leave  and  take  up  their  quarters  upon  the  gun- 
boat. Five  minutes  later  the  two  British  tars  appeared,  and 
when  they  had  joined  their  own  ship  again,  she  sheered  off 
from  the  low-lying  gun-runner.  When  she  had  run  a  mile 
at  the  top  of  her  speed,  she  went  about,  and  stopped  her 
engines.  And  there,  with  eyes  fixed  upon  the  distant  vessel, 
all  waited  for  the  explosion  that  was  to  rend  her  to  pieces 
and  send  her  cargo  to  the  bottom. 

Bang!  The  roar  of  the  bursting  fuse  could  be  loudly 
heard,  followed  by  a  spurt  of  fire  which  rose  high  into  the 
air,  accompanied  by  a  dense  column  of  smoke.  As  the  latter 
cleared  away,  all  looked  to  see  what  had  become  of  the  dhow, 
but  not  a  vestige  of  her  was  to  be  seen. 

97 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  The  Mullah  will  grieve  for  her,  and  will  grind  his  teeth 
with  rage  when  he  learns  that  the  freight  of  guns  and  ammu- 
nition is  lost  to  him,"  laughed  Captain  Humphreys.  "  But 
we  can  smile,  for  we  have  done  a  good  turn  to  those  who  are 
going  with  the  expedition.  And  now,  I  want  to  ask  you 
young  fellows  whether  you  intend  to  land  as  you  are.  If  you 
would  prefer  to  change  into  European  costume,  I  have  plenty 
of  togs  aboard  which  will  fit  you,  and  to  which  you  are 
heartily  welcome." 

For  the  moment  neither  answered,  but  each  looked  at  the 
other,  as  if  awaiting  a  reply. 

"  I've  been  thinking  the  matter  out,"  said  Jim  at  length, 
"  and  I've  come  to  the  conclusion  that  we  should  be  wise  to 
make  no  alteration  in  our  dress.  Secrecy  seems  to  me  to  be 
the  object  at  which  we  particularly  aim.  Now,  if  we  take 
advantage  of  your  kind  offer,  and  appear  as  Englishmen,  our 
coming  will  certainly  be  noticed  at  Berbera." 

"  No  doubt  about  it,  Hubbard,"  said  Captain  Humphreys 
decisively.  "  Like  Aden,  Berbera  has  a  very  large  native 
population,  consisting,  for  the  most  part,  of  Arabs.  The 
landing  of  a  couple  of  Somali  men  would  pass  unnoticed, 
whereas  it  is  perfectly  certain  that  each  white  man  causes  a 
stir.  He  becomes  the  subject  of  conversation  in  the  bazaars, 
and  if  his  mission  to  the  town  is  not  perfectly  clear,  it  sets 
every  native  wondering.  Of  course,  if  you  were  officers  come 
to  join  the  troops  there,  you  would  arouse  no  further  interest. 
But  as  you  are  not  that,  and  not  traders,  then  for  what 
reason  have  you  come  to  Berbera  ?  That's  how  these  fellows 
look  at  such  a  matter,  and  they're  cute  enough  and  curious 
enough  to  go  more  deeply  into  it.  Therefore,  I  think  you  will 
be  wise  to  make  no  change  in  your  dress." 

"  And   I   fully  agree,"   cried    Tom.     "  Our   aim,    as   Jim 

98 


On  African  Shores 

has  just  said,  is  to  arouse  no  curiosity,  and  to  maintain  our 
incognito.  That  can  be  best  done  by  appearing  as  Somali 
natives.  Once  ashore,  we  can  go  to  the  Consul's  to  tell  him 
our  plans,  and  from  there  we  shall  strike  straight  away  for 
the  camp,  where  Ali  Kumar  awaits  us  with  the  followers. 
The  same  night  we  shall  disappear,  and  when  we  have  re- 
ceived our  baggage  and  stores,  and  put  a  day's  march  between 
ourselves  and  the  coast-line,  we  can  get  rid  of  this  paint  and 
these  long  white  robes,  and  reappear  in  our  ordinary 
costume." 

"  And  now  for  a  meal !  "  interposed  the  commander  of  the 
gunboat.  "  I  expect  you  two  fellows  will  be  glad  of  one,  for 
the  grub  aboard  that  dhow  must  have  been  of  the  coarsest. 
Let  me  see,  it.'s  a  hundred  and  forty  miles  from  Aden  across 
to  Berbera,  and  I  reckon  we  have  already  steamed  the  greater 
part  of  the  distance.  By  the  time  we  come  on  deck  again  the 
coast  should  be  in  sight,  and  shortly  after  noon  we  should  be 
at  our  destination." 

Accordingly,  the  trio  descended  to  the  tiny  cabin,  where 
they  did  ample  justice  to  an  excellent  luncheon.  Then  they 
chatted  for  an  hour  before  going  on  deck  again.  When  they 
did  so,  it  was  to  discover  a  low-lying  coast  before  them,  with 
purple  headlands,  and  a  long  range  of  hazy  blue  hills  in  the 
distance.  Indeed,  at  the  first  glance,  it  was  a  hospitable- 
looking  coast,  for  the  sand-dunes  and  the  desolate,  treeless 
wastes  were  not  visible.  Soon  Berbera  itself  was  sighted, 
and  the  gunboat  was  headed  for  the  harbour,  which  seemed 
to  be  filled  with  trading  dhows,  and  with  a  few  steamers  of 
small  size,  which  had  come  there  with  stores  for  the  troops. 
Half  an  hour  later  they  were  safely  moored  inside. 

Jim  and  his  companion  took  farewell  of  the  captain,  and 
watched  him  as  he  was  rowed  to  the  tumble-down  pier  which 

99 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

did  duty  as  a  landing-place.  Then,  as  the  dusk  of  evening 
fell,  they  put  off  in  a  small  dinghy  which  the  gunboat  carried, 
and  were  landed  at  a  deserted  part  of  the  town.  Stealing 
away  in  the  darkness,  they  were  soon  lost  among  the  Arab 
streets,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  feeling  that  their  expedi- 
tion was  to  begin  under  the  best  auspices.  For  who  would 
take  the  trouble  to  enquire  about  them?  Captain  Humphreys 
had  impressed  upon  his  men  the  need  for  silence,  while  the 
two  prisoners  who  had  been  captured  with  the  dhow  could  do 
them  no  harm,  for  they  were  at  that  moment  in  irons  beneath 
the  deck  of  the  gunboat,  and  likely  to  remain  there  until  they 
were  thrown  into  prison  at  Aden. 

It  was,  therefore,  in  the  highest  spirits  that  they  sauntered 
through  the  town,  and  made  their  way  towards  the  British 
Consul's. 


ioo 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  "  MAD  "   MULLAH 

"You'll  know  the  house  where  the  British  Consul  lives 
immediately  you  set  eyes  upon  it,"  Captain  Humphreys  had 
said,  when  giving  directions  to  Jim  and  his  friend.  "  It's  a 
long,  low-lying  bungalow,  surrounded  by  quite  a  little  forest 
of  trees,  and  has  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  coolest 
in  Berbera.  As  soon  as  you  are  ashore,  you  must  pass 
through  the  Arab  town,  and  bear  towards  the  harbour  again. 
I  shall  go  to  him  at  once,  and  will  tell  him  that  you  are 
coming,  and  arrange  for  the  door  of  his  sitting-room  to  be 
left  open.  Of  course,  it  gives  entrance  from  the  verandah, 
and  all  you  will  have  to  do  will  be  to  walk  straight  through 
the  compound  and  into  the  room.  I  leave  it  to  yourselves  to 
get  there  without  being  seen." 

Accordingly,  acting  upon  this  advice,  they  made  their  way 
slowly  through  the  narrow  and  dirty  streets  of  the  town, 
remarking  how  clean  the  white-washed  houses  looked  in  con- 
trast with  the  filth  and  squalor  around.  Here  and  there  a 
smoky  oil-lamp  glimmered,  allowing  them  to  catch  glimpses 
of  huddled  figures  sitting  in  the  doorways,  swathed  from  head 
to  foot  in  robes  of  white.  At  length  they  reached  the  out- 
skirts, and  seeing  a  belt  of  trees  before  them,  at  once  turned 
in  that  direction.  Nestling  in  the  centre  of  this  plantation 
was  a  low  building,  the  windows  of  which  were  brightly 
illuminated.    For  a  minute  or  more  the  two  stood  in  the  deep 

IOI 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

shadow  cast  by  the  trees,  and  took  careful  stock  of  the 
dwelling. 

"  There's  the  room  which  we  must  aim  for,"  said  Jim,  in 
a  whisper,  suddenly  pointing  to  the  farther  end.  "  Look ! 
you  can  see  that  the  door  leading  on  to  the  verandah  is  wide 
open.  Let  us  creep  along  in  the  shadow  until  we  are  directly 
opposite;  then  we  shall  be  able  to  see  whether  there  is  any- 
one waiting  in  there  for  us.  If  none  of  the  native  servants 
are  to  be  seen  walking  about,  we'll  cut  straight  across  and 
slip  in.  After  that  we'll  ask  the  Consul  to  draw  the  blinds, 
and  shut  out  the  light,  for  it  would  look  funny,  and  would 
certainly  give  rise  to  a  good  deal  of  chatter,  if  we  were 
observed  in  conversation  with  His  Excellency." 

"  I  follow.  It's  very  good  advice ;  and,  upon  my  word, 
you  are  becoming  a  regular  conspirator,"  laughed  Tom.  "  I 
quite  thought  when  we  started  out  upon  this  expedition  that 
I  should  constantly  have  to  warn  you  to  be  cautious;  but 
really,  you  seem  to  have  taken  to  your  new  role  as  a  duck 
does  to  water,  and  I  am  sure  that  no  one  could  lay  his  plans 
with  more  care  and  discretion  than  you  do.  Come  along. 
I  quite  agree  that  the  room  yonder  is  the  one  in  which  we  are 
to  have  our  interview." 

Stealing  along  in  the  dense  shadow  cast  by  the  thick 
growth  of  leaves  overhead,  Jim  soon  reached  a  point  exactly 
opposite  the  farther  end  of  the  building,  and  at  once  threw 
himself  upon  the  ground,  for  a  dusky  figure  suddenly  ap- 
peared between  himself  and  the  brilliantly  lit  window  beyond. 
It  was  a  native  servant ;  of  that  there  was  little  doubt,  for  he 
stood  there,  leaning  against  one  of  the  verandah  posts, 
sharply  silhouetted  against  the  rays  cast  by  a  tall  standard 
lamp. 

"  Hush,  Tom !  "  Jim  whispered,  turning  to  find  his  comrade 

102 


The  "Mad"  Mullah 

close  beside  him.  "  Lie  down,  for  I  can  see  someone  over 
there." 

"  And  there's  a  man  in  the  room,"  was  the  answer.  "  See, 
he's  getting  up  now  and  coming  our  way." 

As  he  spoke  a  tall  figure,  clad  in  white,  and  with  a  red  cum- 
merbund about  his  waist,  suddenly  appeared  at  the  open  win- 
dow, and  catching  sight  of  the  native,  addressed  him  angrily. 

"  Be  off !  "  he  cried  sharply.  "  Have  I  not  frequently 
given  the  order  that  no  one  is  to  come  upon  this  side  of  the 
verandah  at  night?  Be  off,  then,  I  say,  or  I  shall  find  a 
means  to  sharpen  your  memory." 

The  words  had  effect  at  once,  for  the  servant  salaamed, 
and  retired  hastily. 

"Now  is  our  time,"  said  Jim.  "Let's  walk  quickly 
across." 

Leaving  the  shadow  of  the  trees,  the  two  started  across  the 
open  space  at  a  sharp  walk,  and  mounted  the  verandah.  A 
few  steps  forward  took  them  into  the  room,  when  they  at  once 
crossed  to  the  farther  side,  so  as  to  be  well  away  from  the 
window. 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  the  gentleman  who  was  present,  and 
who  had  betrayed  no  astonishment  at  their  sudden  entry. 
"  I'll  just  shut  the  window,  and  let  down  these  thick  rolls  of 
matting,  for,  you  know,  it  wouldn't  do  quite  for  the  Consul 
at  Berbera,  the  representative  of  the  great  '  Sirkal,'  as  the 
British  Government  is  known,  to  be  seen  engaging  in  an 
animated  conversation  with  two  of  the  very  tribe  against 
which  our  forces  are  about  to  march.  It  would  look  queer, 
particularly  at  this  time  of  the  day,  and  would  set  the  town 
agog." 

Gently  pulling  the  sash  to,  he  lowered  the  blinds,  and  then 
turned  with  smiling  face  to  his  visitors. 

103 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Very  glad  to  see  you,"  he  said,  coming  forward,  and 
shaking  both  by  the  hand.  "  I  have  already  had  a  communi- 
cation from  the  Governor  of  Aden,  who  writes  to  me  that  he 
has  had  orders  from  the  Foreign  Office  to  help  you  as  far  as  is 
possible.  Short  of  providing  you  with  troops,  or  an  armed 
following,  I  am  prepared  to  do  anything  that  lies  in  my 
power,  for,  Mr.  Hubbard,  I  have  the  pleasure  of  your  father's 
acquaintance.  But  putting  that  aside  altogether,  it  is  the 
nature  of  Englishmen  to  stand  by  one  another,  whatever  the 
trouble,  and  this,  I  think,  is  just  the  case  in  which  we  should 
do  our  utmost  to  give  assistance.  Now,  sit  down  there,  and 
tell  me  what  I  can  do  for  you." 

"  I  hardly  know,"  answered  Jim,  after  having  thanked 
him  for  his  kind  offer  of  assistance ;  "  but  if  you  will  allow 
the  dhow  which  is  to  bring  our  guns  and  baggage  to  land  her 
cargo  without  question  or  molestation,  we  shall  be  greatly 
obliged.  We  have  decided  to  go  straight  from  here  to  the 
camp  in  which  our  followers  are  quartered.  To-morrow 
morning  we  hope  to  have  disappeared,  and  a  week  from  this 
we  should  be  in  the  heart  of  Somaliland.  Should  you  obtain 
news  of  us  after  we  have  gone,  will  you  kindly  forward  it  to 
Mr.  Andrews  at  Aden,  who  will  telegraph  home  to  my 
uncle?" 

"  Make  your  mind  easy  about  the  dhow,"  said  the  Consul. 
"  The  Governor  at  Aden  gave  his  authority  for  it  to  sail,  and 
the  gunboat  which  blew  up  that  rascally  vessel  which  was 
carrying  weapons  for  the  Mullah  has  been  quietly  warned 
to  look  the  other  way.  As  for  news  of  you,  it  is  quite 
probable  that  I  shall  occasionally  hear  some,  for  we  have 
many  spies  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  who  are  well  paid 
to  bring  in  information.  Thanks  to  them,  we  know  a  good 
deal  about  the  Mullah  and  his  movements,  though  I  am  bound 

104 


The  "Mad"  Mullah 

to  confess  that  their  word  is  not  always  reliable.  But  Mr. 
Dixon  and  yourself  will  have  excellent  opportunities  of 
obtaining  an  insight  into  the  true  condition  of  affairs,  and 
I  may  tell  you  that  we  ai*e  hoping  to  derive  great  benefit  from 
your  expedition." 

"You  shall  have  all  that  we  can  get,"  exclaimed  Jim, 
"  but  I  must  admit  that  at  the  present  moment  I  have  only 
the  haziest  idea  of  this  gentleman  whom  you  call  the  '  Mad ' 
Mullah.  In  fact,  until  a  month  ago,  I  should  have  found  it 
very  difficult  to  explain  precisely  the  whereabouts  of  Somali- 
land." 

"In  that  you  are  like  the  majority  of  people,  I  fancy," 
laughed  the  Consul.  "  Hitherto  the  minds  of  the  public  have 
been  fully  occupied  with  others  parts  of  this  huge  continent. 
First,  there  was  Egypt,  with  the  campaign  which  ended  at 
Omdurman,  and  resulted  in  the  reclaiming  of  the  Soudan. 
Then  the  Boer  war  began,  and  whereas  scarcely  one  in  ten 
was  aware  of  the  position  of  the  two  Republics  a  couple  of 
years,  ago,  now  everyone  could  point  them  out  on  the  map 
with  the  greatest  ease.  You  must  recollect,  too,  that  the 
Niger,  the  West  Coast,  Abyssinia,  Coomassie,  and  other 
parts,  are  forever  engaging  public  attention,  and  conse- 
quently, this  strip  of  country  which  occupies  the  north- 
eastern angle  of  Africa  has  been  overlooked.  Suddenly, 
however,  the  rising  of  this  Mullah  and  his  bands  of  des- 
peradoes has  filled  the  papers  with  long  and  interesting 
articles,  and  bids  fair  to  arouse  as  much  enquiry  as  did  the 
rising  of  the  fanatics  who  met  our  armies  at  Omdurman. 

"  But — look  here — you're  just  bound  for  the  interior,  and 
it  is  as  well  that  you  should  have  all  the  news  I  am  able  to 
give  you.  Sit  down,  do,  and  make  yourselves  quite  comfort- 
able.   You  may  feel  quite  certain  that  we  shall  not  be  inter- 

105 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

rupted,  for  I  have  given  strict  orders  to  my  servants  that  J 
am  not  to  be  disturbed." 

The  Consul,  who  was  a  man  of  middle  age,  dragged  a  chair 
into  a  convenient  position,  from  which  he  could  easily  ob- 
serve the  faces  of  his  listeners.  Then,  seating  himself,  he 
gave  a  preliminary  cough. 

"  Let  me  see,"  he  said,  "  I  think,  then,  I  had  better  begin 
by  giving  you  some  idea  of  the  class  of  men  you  are  likely  to 
meet  with.  Of  course,  I  understand  that  Mr.  Dixon  is  well 
acquainted  with  them,  in  fact,  better  even  than  I  am,  for  his 
long  residence  in  Aden  has  given  him  many  advantages. 
But  to  you,  Mr.  Hubbard,  the  news  will  be  strange,  no  doubt, 
and  may  be  of  service." 

"I'm  sure  it  will,  and  I  am  eager  to  hear  all  about  these 
Somali  people,"  exclaimed  Jim. 

"  Well,  I  will  tell  you  what  I  know  about  them.  Up  to 
recent  times  they  have  been  known  to  us  as  friendly  and 
harmless  people.  Many  of  our  countrymen  have  made  shoot- 
ing expeditions  into  the  interior,  and  all  have  reported  that 
they  have  met  with  kindness  and  courtesy;  that  the  natives 
are  intensely  fond  of  sport,  and  enjoy  the  pursuit  of  wild 
game,  with  which  the  country  abounds.  I  remember  having 
a  long  chat  with  one  of  these  great  hunters,  and  he  told  me 
that  the  Somali  people  are  entirely  different  f  rora  the  '  Fuzzy - 
Wuzzy,'  as  the  natives  of  the  Soudan  are  jocularly  known. 
They  are  more  like  playful  children,  and  are  extremely 
excitable.  If  suddenly  thrown  into  a  position  of  danger, 
they  will  face  it  boldly,  and  are  reliable  fighters  in  such 
circumstances.  But  they  are  afraid  of  uncertainties,  and 
that  being. the  case,  are  of  little  use  as  soldiers.  Then,  as  I 
dare  say  you  have  already  heard,  they  are  a  scheming  and 
cunning  race,  so  that  it  is  always  well  to  be  on  the  best  terms 

1 06 


The  "Mad"  Mullah 

with  them,  for  then  one  has  nothing  to  fear.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  you  incur  their  hatred,  you  may  look  out  for  squalls, 
and  you  will  find  it  a  wise  precaution  to  put  an  extra  guard 
over  your  camels.  Indeed,  the  one  serious  occupation  of  the 
Somali  is  to  keep  his  own  beasts  safe  from  marauders,  and  to 
rob  his  neighbours  of  as  many  as  possible.  Sometimes  a  few 
of  the  men  will  band  together  and  raid  a  neighbouring  tribe. 
If  they  are  discovered,  they  fly  for  their  lives;  for  camel- 
stealing,  though  a  recognized  crime  in  the  country,  is  one 
which  is  not  easily  forgiven  by  those  who  are  attacked,  and 
capture  means  certain  death.  But  the  narrow  escape  is 
never  taken  in  the  light  of  a  warning,  for,  on  the  very  first 
opportunity  another  raid  will  be  planned  and  carried  out. 

"  There,  I  think  that  will  give  you  a  fair  idea  of  the  men 
you  will  meet  during  your  march;  but,  because  I  have  de- 
scribed them  as  a  friendly  race,  you  must  not  on  that  account 
omit  to  take  every  precaution.  You  will  meet  many  different 
tribes,  some  of  which  are  still  friendly  to  the  British,  but 
others  which  have  gone  over  to  the  Mullah,  whose  emissaries 
are  busily  at  work  stirring  them  up  against  the  white  people. 

"  As  for  this  man,  whom  we  all  speak  of  as  the  '  Mad ' 
Mullah,  he  is,  I  have  little  doubt,  an  unscrupulous  ruffian. 
To  the  Somali  he  is  known  as  Hadji  Mahomed  Abdullah.  He 
belongs  to  the  Habr  Suleiman  section  of  the  Ogaden  tribe, 
who  have  their  hunting-grounds  in  the  southwest  of  the 
country.  He  married  into  the  Ali  Ghiri,  a  Dolbahanta  tribe, 
and  is,  therefore,  connected  with  a  great  number  of  people. 
But  what  has  given  him  such  a  powerful  position  in  Somali- 
land  is  the  fact  that  he  has  made  several  pilgrimages  to  Mecca, 
and,  consequently,  is  considered  a  man  of  deep  wisdom,  and 
'hadji,'  or  holy,  as  the  word  is  understood  here.  For  some 
time  he  has  travelled  about  Somaliland,  pillaging  the  various 

107 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

districts  and  attacking-  the  peaceful  tribes.  But  it  was  not 
until  he  quarrelled  with  a  certain  tribe  living  in  our  Pro- 
tectorate that  we  took  any  notice  of  him.  Then  we  began  to 
gather  troops,  so  as  to  attack  him.  Having  pillaged  the  land 
in  this  direction,  he  struck  off  towards  the  Abyssinian  fron- 
tier, and  flung  himself  and  his  hordes  of  desperadoes  upon 
the  men  of  that  race  who  happened  to  be  stationed  there.  I 
am  happy  to  say  that  they  beat  him  handsomely,  so  that  he 
was  forced  to  fly.  For  some  time  we  heard  little  more  of  him, 
and,  no  doubt,  during  all  that  while  he  was  busily  collecting 
men  and  arms,  the  latter  being  considerably  harder  to  obtain 
than  the  former.  But  there  are  some  rascals  who  will  do 
anything  for  money,  and  amongst  them,  I  regret  to  say,  are 
a  few  white  people,  who,  at  considerable  risk,  run  cargoes  of 
inferior  guns  to  the  coast,  and  sell  them  at  an  exorbitant 
price,  careless  of  the  consequences  to  the  peaceful  nations 
who  live  within  touch  of  the  Mullah. 

"  In  due  time  his  preparations  were  completed,  and  he 
then  began  to  give  us  further  trouble.  First,  it  was  by 
raiding  a  tribe  who  lived  under  our  protection,  and  then  by 
stealing  camels  from  Berbera  itself.  In  one  way  and  another 
he  has  steadily  made  himself  a  pest  to  the  country,  and  as  he 
is  as  cruel  as  he  is  unscrupulous,  the  people  have  suffered 
terribly  at  his  hands. 

"  And  now  to  tell  you  why  Britain  should  concern  herself 
with  the  Mullah.  The  Italians,  the  French,  and  ourselves, 
each  hold  a  Protectorate  over  a  large  tract  of  country  along 
this  northern  coast  of  Africa,  and  there  is  really  no  more 
reason  why  we  should  take  up  the  quarrel  any  more  than 
the  others.  But  then,  you  know,  Britain  has  always  been 
the  one  friend  of  the  oppressed.  It  has  been  our  policy  for 
generations,  and  we  are  known  the  world  over  as  a  fighting 

108 


The  "Mad"  Mullah 

race  who  love  freedom  and  hate  the  oppressor.  Look  at  the 
manner  in  which  we  subdued  the  Soudan  at  enormous  cost 
to  ourselves,  and  yet  without  benefit  to  our  country.  This 
is  a  sample  of  the  work  we  do,  and  we  are  about  to  repeat 
the  same  process  here.  Indeed,  we  have  already  made  one 
successful  attempt,  during-  which  we  beat  the  Mullah  with 
heavy  loss  to  himself,  and  caused  him  to  retreat.  But  a  holy 
man,  in  a  country  like  this,  has  extraordinary  power,  and  the 
Mullah  rapidly  took  advantage  of  that  fact.  Within  an  in- 
credibly short  space  of  time  he  gathered  together  the  rem- 
nants of  his  following,  and  at  once  began  to  march  through 
the  country  preaching  a  holy  war.  Those  tribes  who  were  re- 
luctant to  join  him,  and  who  preferred  a  peaceful  existence, 
were  compelled  to  throw  in  their  lot  with  him  or  take  the  con- 
sequences, which  meant  that  they  would  be  robbed  in  a 
most  scandalous  manner,  and,  possibly,  would  run  the  danger 
of  being  altogether  exterminated.  And  so  the  host  of  war- 
riors marching  beneath  the  banner  of  the  Mullah  has  steadily 
and  rapidly  increased,  so  much  so  that  they  have  become  a 
menace  to  us,  and  forced  us  to  take  action. 

"  The  Foreign  Office,  which  governs  this  Protectorate,  gave 
orders  that  a  field  force  should  be  prepared  for  service  in 
Somaliland.  In  January,  1901,  the  force  did  not  exist,  but, 
by  dint  of  superhuman  exertions,  fifteen  hundred  natives 
were  got  ready  for  the  fray  at  the  end  of  May.  They  con- 
sisted almost  entirely  of  Somalis  from  the  neighbouring 
friendly  tribes,  and  they  were  trained  and  taught  to  use  the 
rifle  by  a  select  band  of  British  officers,  than  whom  there 
are  none  more  expert  at  this  class  of  work.  A  score  of  non- 
commissioned officers  from  India  helped  them,  and  together 
they  built  up  a  very  creditable  following.  At  length,  when 
all  arrangements  had  been  made  for  transport,  and  sufficient 

109 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

drivers  had  been  engaged,  the  force  marched  for  Burao  to 
cross  the  waterless  Hoad.  Crossing  the  range  of  mountains 
known  as  the  Gobik,  they  entered  the  Geratto  pass,  which 
leads  from  the  Guban,  or  low  country,  to  the  high  country, 
which  is  known  as  the  Ogo,  and  which  is  very  much  health- 
ier. From  there  the  troops  safely  crossed  the  desert,  and 
entered  the  Mullah's  country.  And  now,  for  the  first  time, 
they  met  with  opposition,  for  stragglers  hung  upon  their 
flanks,  sniping  at  the  caravans,  and  flying  whenever  an  at- 
tempt was  made  to  come  to  close  quarters.  At  length  infor- 
mation came  to  hand  that  the  enemy  was  a  couple  of  days' 
march  away,  and  at  once  it  was  decided  to  attack  him.  Leav- 
ing his  baggage  and  the  greater  part  of  his  camels  to  the  care 
of  a  handful  of  the  Somali  levy,  with  Captain  McNeill  in 
command,  Colonel  Swayne,  who  had  charge  of  the  whole  ex- 
pedition, marched  forward  with  the  bulk  of  his  men,  hoping 
to  come  upon  the  enemy  unawares  and  teach  him  a  lesson. 
"  You  will  remember  that  I  mentioned  to  you  a  certain 
characteristic  of  these  people.  I  told  you  that  in  cerain 
circumstances  they  were  bold  and  reliable,  and  that,  if  they 
were  unfriendly  to  you,  it  was  wise  to  watch  them  with  the 
utmost  care,  on  account  of  their  cunning  and  treachery.  The 
Mullah  speedily  gave  an  example  of  this,  and  made  a  crafty 
move,  which  might  have  proved  disastrous  had  it  not  been  for 
the  soldierly  qualities  and  the  bravery  of  Captain  McNeill. 
You  may  be  sure  that  if  we  had  information  of  the  Mullah's 
whereabouts,  he,  also,  was  well  aware  of  our  movements,  for 
his  spies  and  scouts  were  in  all  directions.  Waiting  until 
Colonel  Swayne  and  his  men  had  marched  well  away  from 
the  camel  zareba,  this  leader  struck  his  '  karia,'  or  camping- 
ground,  and  travelling  in  a  roundabout  direction,  so  as  to 
evade  the  main  column,  threw  his  thousands  upon  the  tin^ 

no 


The  "Mad"  Mullah 

garrison  which  was  left  to  protect  the  camels  and  baggage. 
It  was  a  splendid  move,  and  was  most  successfully  accom- 
plished, so  far  as  eluding  the  main  army  went.  But  the 
Mullah  was  not  to  have  it  all  his  own  way,  for  he  had,  as  I 
have  just  said,  a  man  to  deal  with  who  had  studied  his  pro- 
fession. Put  yourself  in  Captain  McNeill's  position  for  one 
moment,  and  imagine  what  you  would  have  done.  Knowing 
that  the  greater  part  of  the  force  had  marched  against  the 
enemy,  many  men  would  have  put  aside  all  thought  of 
danger,  and  would  have  been  content  with  the  ordinary  pre- 
cautions which  are  necessary  when  campaigning  in  an 
enemy's  country.  But  Captain  McNeill  thought  otherwise. 
It  occurred  to  him  that,  with  a  crafty  man  such  as  the 
Mullah  was  known  to  be,  this  was  a  splendid  opportunity  for 
him  to  fall  upon  the  weaker  portion  of  the  force  which  had 
come  to  attack  him,  and  after  disposing  of  that,  to  march 
swiftly  upon  the  other  part,  and  take  it  by  surprise.  There- 
fore, he  at  once  made  preparations  to  meet  an  attack  in  force. 
Selecting  an  excellent  site,  upon  a  raised  plateau,  so  situated 
as  to  be  unapproachable  from  one  side,  and  altogether  cleared 
of  the  scrub  and  undergrowth,  which  could  be  so  useful  to 
an  attacking  enemy,  he  built  two  zarebas  of  thorns,  strength- 
ened with  long  stretches  of  barbed  wire,  and  between  the  two 
a  third,  into  which  he  drove  the  camels.  At  the  highest  point 
he  built  a  mound,  and  placed  upon  it  a  Maxim,  which,  owing 
to  its  elevation,  could  command  the  plateau  in  all  directions, 
firing  over  the  heads  of  the  defenders  when  necessary.  That 
done,  he  sent  out  scouts  in  all  directions,  and  having  ap- 
pointed each  man  to  a  post  and  given  him  precise  instructions 
as  to  his  part  in  the  coming  battle,  he  sat  down  to  await,  with 
as  much  patience  as  he  could,  the  appearance  of  the  Mullah 
and  his  rascally  gang. 

in 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Never  before  was  there  such  an  uneven  contest,  for  you 
must  recollect  that  in  this  case  the  commander  of  the  British 
zareba  had  only  Somali  natives  to  depend  upon,  and  they 
were  so  little  trained  that  they  could  only  be  termed  raw 
recruits,  while  their  reliability  was  a  matter  of  pure  conjec- 
ture, for  they  had  never  yet  been  called  upon  to  show  the 
stuff  of  which  they  were  made.  In  addition,  there  were  a  few 
Indian  non-commissioned  officers,  and  one  lieutenant  from 
an  English  line  regiment.  In  all,  their  numbers  were 
extremely  small,  while  the  Mullah  would  have  at  least  five 
thousand  troops. 

"  Well,  thanks  to  the  foresight  of  Captain  McNeill,  all 
that  experience  could  suggest  had  been  carried  out,  and, 
satisfied  that  this  was  the  case,  the  garrison  waited.  They 
were  not  to  be  disappointed,  for,  scarcely  was  all  in  readiness, 
when  quickly  moving  dots  in  the  distance  told  them  of 
approaching  horsemen,  and  very  soon  scores  of  the  Mullah's 
followers  came  clambering  over  the  distant  sky-line  and 
dashed  down  into  the  wide  sweeping  plain  which  surrounded 
the  zareba.  Evidently  with  them  it  was  a  foregone  conclu- 
sion that  this  weak  party  left  in  charge  of  the  camels  was  to 
be  annihilated,  and  then,  what  loot  there  would  be!  At  the 
thought  of  the  hundreds  of  camels  there,  and  the  huge  stores 
of  baggage,  their  delight  was  intense,  but  it  was  as  nothing  to 
their  pleasure  when  spies  reported  to  them  that  the  reserve 
ammunition  of  the  whole  force  lay  in  that  zareba,  ready  to  be 
taken.  And  what  a  prize  that  and  the  rifles  of  the  defenders 
would  prove !  Guns  were  difficult  to  obtain  at  any  time,  but 
of  late,  since  the  British  Government  had  sent  its  torpedo- 
boats  to  patrol  the  coast,  it  had  become  almost  an  impossi- 
bility to  get  them,  while,  in  the  case  of  ammunition,  it  was 
difficult  to  lay  hands  upon  the  smallest  supply  of  powder. 

112 


The  "Mad"  Mullah 

"  No  wonder  the  Mullah,  as  he  looked  down  from  the 
surrounding  heights  upon  that  solitary  camp,  gave  vent  to  an 
exclamation  of  satisfaction.  He  was  exultant,  and  almost 
shouted  for  joy. 

"  '  They  are  mine ! '  he  shouted ;  '  the  hated  foreigners  will 
fall  into  our  hands,  and  Allah  will  punish  them  as  they 
deserve.  Press  on,  my  men,  and  fear  not  the  bullets  of  the 
enemy,  for  I  swear  to  you  that  they  shall  do  you  no  harm; 
and,  even  though  they  strike  you,  they  shall  melt  upon  your 
bodies  as  the  snow  turns  to  water.  Kush  on  them,  then,  and 
slay  every  living  man  within  the  zareba.' 

"  By  now,  some  thousands  of  dusky  warriors  had  descended 
into  the  plain,  and  while  those  who  weTe  unmounted  pressed 
forward  at  their  fastest  pace,  the  men  who  had  horses  and 
camels  to  help  them  came  on  impetuously,  and  it  seemed, 
indeed,  as  though  they  would  venture  alone  to  attack  the 
tiny  garrison.  Such,  no  doubt,  was  their  intention,  for, 
carried  away  by  their  fanatical  hate,  and  shrieking  loudly  so 
as  to  encourage  one  another,  and  with  weapons  waved  high 
in  the  air,  they  charged  at  the  lines  of  thorn-bush  which 
surrounded  the  zareba. 

"  Were  they  to  break  in  without  opposition,  and  without 
losing  a  man?  It  looked  as  though  this  was  to  be  the  case, 
for  not  a  gun  flashed,  and  not  one  of  the  defenders  could  be 
seen,  save  a  group  of  five  or  six,  who  stood  immovable  upon 
the  mound  where  the  Maxim  was  placed.  But  the  defenders 
were  acting  under  the  orders  of  their  commander,  and  reso- 
lutely held  their  fire,  though  the  temptation  to  open  upon 
the  oncoming  horsemen  must  have  been  great  indeed.  Lying 
behind  the  thick  thorn-bushes,  with  rifles  in  readiness,  all  in 
the  upper  zareba  kept  their  eyes  upon  that  tall,  khaki-clad 
figure  standing  beside  the  Maxim.    Would  he  ever  give  the 

113 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

word?  Were  they  to  lie  there  and  suffer  death  at  the  hands 
of  the  Mullah's  soldiers  without  even  attempting  to  defend 
themselves?  It  was  a  sore  trial  to  untrained  troops,  to  men 
who  up  to  this  had  done  little  else  but  occupy  themselves  in 
agricultural  work,  broken  here  and  there  by  a  camel  raid,  the 
excitement  and  danger  of  which  was  as  nothing  to  that  which 
they  were  now  experiencing. 

" '  Fire ! '  The  command  rang  out  sharply  in  the  crisp, 
clear  air,  and  almost  instantly  the  clatter  of  the  Maxim 
awoke  the  echoes.  Glad  to  be  doing  something,  the  remainder 
of  the  defenders  joined  in  the  fusillade,  and,  encouraged  by 
the  calmness  of  their  officer,  emptied  their  rifles  without 
throwing  away  a  shot.  Scarcely  a  cry  escaped  them,  for  their 
attention  was  far  too  much  engaged  in  the  business  of  ex- 
changing full  cartridges  for  empty  ones,  and  of  discharging 
them  against  the  enemy.  And  still  the  latter  came  on  in 
their  hundreds,  undaunted  as  yet,  reckless  of  the  conse- 
quences, and  careless  of  the  numbers  killed,  so  long  as  they 
could  gratify  their  hate  and  slay  these  insolent  invaders. 
Falling  by  ones  and  twos,  and  very  often  in  groups  of  five 
and  more,  the  adherents  of  the  Mullah  pressed  on  with  a 
courage  which  was  truly  wonderful,  and  which  was,  no  doubt, 
due  in  part  to  their  leader's  promises  that  no  harm  should 
befall  them. 

"  Then,  too,  these  Eastern  people  have  a  childish  belief 
in  fate.  To  them  Allah's  will  is  everything,  and  if  it  is 
decreed  that  they  shall  die,  they  will  meet  death  boldly. 
Therefore,  though  scores  of  their  comrades  had  already  fallen 
victims  to  the  Maxim,  or  to  the  rifle-bullets,  the  horsemen 
still  dashed  forward,  while  the  footmen,  coming  upon  the 
scene  at  this  moment,  rushed  to  join  them,  undeterred  by 
the  bodies  which  lay  scattered  everywhere  upon  the  plain. 

114 


The  "Mad"  Mullah 

Armed  with  Sniders,  with  elephant-guns,  and  with  cheap 
muzzle-loaders,  which  no  sane  man  would  have  dared  to  fire, 
they  went  bounding  forward,  shrieking  at  the  top  of  their 
voices,  and  waving  their  weapons  madly  in  the  air.  A  few 
of  the  more  cautious  ones  halted  at  times,  and,  dropping  upon 
one  knee,  discharged  a  load  of  slugs  at  the  defenders.  But 
they  were  up  again  in  a  minute,  and  this  time,  with  sword  in 
hand,  flung  themselves  against  the  zareba.  Leaping  upon 
the  thorns  as  if  they  did  not  exist,  they  hacked  desperately 
at  them,  endeavouring  to  force  a  way  through.  Coming  in 
contact  with  the  wire,  a  few  became  hopelessly  entangled, 
and  in  due  time  were  killed.  And  all  the  while,  without 
cessation,  without  a  moment's  pause,  the  rifles  of  the  de- 
fenders flashed  forth  revengefully,  and  the  Maxim  scattered 
its  volleys  into  the  masses  of  the  enemy. 

" '  They  give  way,  they  fly ! '  shouted  the  British  com- 
mander. '  Hold  to  it,  my  men !  Let  them  learn  that  we 
are  not  to  be  so  lightly  attacked,  and  that  when  the  time 
for  fighting  comes,  they  have  soldiers  here  to  deal  with  who 
will  make  them  pay  dear  for  their  boldness.' 

"  At  his  words  the  defenders  redoubled  their  efforts,  and 
so  fierce  and  well-aimed  was  their  fire,  that  at  last  the  hordes 
gave  way.  Panting  with  their  efforts,  shattered  by  the 
terrible  hail  of  bullets  which  poured  continuously  amongst 
them,  they  turned  their  backs  to  the  zareba,  and,  taking  to- 
their  heels,  or  applying  spurs  to  the  flanks  of  their  animals, 
fled  in  dismay.  Yes,  bleeding  and  breathless,  some  of  them 
so  grievously  wounded  that  they  could  not  look  to  live,  they 
raced  away  across  the  plain,  followed  still  by  those  scathing 
volleys,  and  when  they  were  out  of  range,  threw  themselves 
upon  the  ground,  cursing  their  fate,  cursing  the  day  on 
which  they  had  thrown  in  their  lot  with  the  Mullah,  and 

H5 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

the  leader  who  had  betrayed  them  with  false  promises. 
Then,  when  they  had  regained  their  breath,  they  retired 
sulkily  to  the  hills,  and  were  quickly  lost  to  sight. 

"  Not  till  then  had  the  gallant  defenders  time  to  look 
round  and  ascertain  the  losses  they  had  suffered,  but  it  was 
with  a  feeling  of  relief  and  gratification  that  their  young 
commander  learnt  that  he  had  few  to  mourn,  and  that  in  no 
case  had  the  enemy  been  able  to  force  a  way  into  the  zareba. 
Had  they  done  so,  there  is  little  doubt  that  their  swords  would 
have  given  them  a  great  advantage,  and  they  would  have 
quickly  despatched  every  one  of  the  defenders.  But  the 
thorn-bushes,  strengthened  as  they  were  by  the  barbed  wire, 
had  effectually  kept  the  enemy  out,  and  the  check  given  to 
their  first  rush  had  enabled  the  garrison  to  pour  in  a  stinging 
fire  which,  as  I  have  told  you,  proved  sufficient  to  drive  them 
back  into  the  plain  again. 

"  It  was  a  glorious  success,  but  as  yet  it  was  not  sufficient 
to  teach  the  Mullah  that  he  was  beaten.  His  surprise  and 
anger  at  the  result  can  be  imagined,  for  he  had  expected  to 
find  an  easy  prey,  and  had  already  counted  the  huge  stores  of 
baggage  and  ammunition  as  his  own.  And  now,  instead  of 
victory,  he  had  to  mourn  the  loss  of  numbers  of  his  men,  and, 
what  was  worse,  a  fall  in  his  own  prestige,  for  he  had  sworn 
to  the  tribesmen  who  accompanied  him  that  this  was  a  holy 
•war,  and  that  the  bullets  of  the  infidels  could  not  possibly 
harm  them. 

"  However,  this  '  Mad '  Mullah  has  always  been  a  man  of 
resource,  and  quickly  recovering  from  his  depression,  he 
gathered  his  followers  about  him,  and  harangued  them,  as  he 
alone  knows  how  to  do.  A  few  words  from  his  lips  were 
sufficient  to  revive  their  courage  and  hate,  and  before  very 
long  they  were  ready  to  make  a  second  attack.     You  will 

116 


The  "  Mad  "  Mullah 

remember  that  I  told  you  that  no  warning  is  taken  to  heart 
by  these  people,  and  that  life  is  held  but  cheaply  in  their 
efforts  to  obtain  camels.  This,  of  course,  is  no  matter  for 
surprise,  for  in  this  world  men  will  do  much  for  money,  and 
the  beasts  I  mention  are  practically  the  only  currency  with 
which  the  Somali  people  are  acquainted.  They  pay  their 
debts  with  these  animals,  and  their  wives  are  bought  at  the 
cost  of  so  many  camels.  If  they  are  engaged  as  followers  on 
a  shooting  expedition,  the  promise  of  a  camel  or  more  proves 
a  far  more  tempting  bait  than  does  the  rupee,  particularly  to 
the  tribesmen  who  come  from  the  interior.  The  men  here- 
abouts are,  perhaps,  a  little  more  civilized,  and  are  always 
eager  for  the  large  silver  coin. 

"  Can  you  be  surprised,  after  what  I  have  told  you,  that 
the  sight  of  that  small  British  zareba,  with  its  piles  of 
baggage  and  its  hundreds  of  beasts,  proved  a  tantalizing 
object  to  the  Mullah's  followers?  From  their  position  of 
security  in  the  hills  they  looked  down  at  the  three  circles  of 
thorn-bushes,  and  saw  the  defenders  moving  busily  about, 
saw  their  scouts  leave  their  comrades  and  ride  out  into  the 
plain,  and  watched  with  longing  eyes  as  the  camels  were 
driven  down  to  the  river,  which  formed  one  side  of  the  zareba. 
Then,  forgetful  of  the  reverse  which  they  had  recently 
suffered,  they  swore  that  they  would  not  leave  the  place  until 
they  were  conquerors.  ' 

"  A  few  hours  later,  therefore,  they  stole  down  from  the 
hills,  and  separating  so  as  to  approach  the  zareba  from  every 
available  point,  crept  softly  towards  it,  hoping  to  take  the 
defenders  unawares.  But,  again,  they  were  bitterly  dis- 
appointed, for  scarcely  had  they  sprung  to  their  feet  and 
begun  to  charge,  when  the  rattle  of  the  Maxim  set  the  hills 
echoing  again,  and  the  angry  snap  of  the  rifles  told  that  the 

117 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

defenders  were  fully  awake,  and  ready  to  receive  them.  I 
will  not  describe  the  contest  to  you,  though  it  was  even  more 
severe  and  exciting  than  the  first.  It  suffices  to  say  that  the 
Mullah  and  his  followers  were  driven  off  with  heavy  loss,  and 
that  so  great  was  their  consternation,  that  they  at  once  left 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  zareba  and  fled  towards  the  interior. 
Meanwhile  news  had  reached  Colonel  Swayne,  and  promptly 
facing  about,  he  marched  to  intercept  the  enemy.  Meeting 
him  in  his  flight,  his  horsemen  quickly  scattered  his  Somalis, 
and  chased  them  for  miles,  killing  and  capturing  large 
numbers.  But  the  Mullah,  unfortunately,  contrived  to  escape, 
and  galloped  away  into  the  desert  with  a  few  of  his  fol- 
lowers. 

"From  that  date  nothing  was  heard  of  this  fanatic  for 
many  weeks.  But  in  time  he  re-established  himself  in  the  fa- 
vour of  the  people,  and,  collecting  a  band  of  desperadoes,  be- 
gan his  old  tricks  again.  Soon  there  were  tales  of  him  from 
every  part,  and  such  a  pest  did  he  become  that  another  expe- 
dition was  decided  upon.  It  proved  a  failure,  for,  meeting  the 
Mullah  and  his  forces  face  to  face,  our  Somali  levies  showed 
the  white  feather,  and  bolted,  leaving  the  expedition  to  its 
fate.  Fortunately,  however,  the  greater  part  of  it  contrived 
to  escape,  and  to  reach  Berbera  in  safety.  It  was  now 
apparent  that  operations  on  a  larger  scale  must  be  con- 
templated, and  as  the  Somalis  had  shown  themselves  to  be 
unreliable,  it  was  determined  to  employ  native  troops  from 
the  West  Coast  of  Africa,  and  Indian  soldiers.  If  you  were 
staying  here  to-morrow,  you  would  see  these  men  about  the 
town,  and  would  obtain  some  idea  of  the  preparations  we  are 
making,  but  I  understand  that  you  are  pushing  forward  at 
once,  a  plan  which  I  think  is  advisable.  However,  it  is  more 
than  probable  that  you  will  meet  with  the  troops  later  on,  and 

118 


The  "Mad"  Mullah 

who  knows  but  that  they  may  even  prove  of  service  to  you? 
And  that  reminds  me  of  my  instructions.  If  you  are  in  need 
of  help,  and  our  troops  are  within  reach  of  you,  do  not  hesi- 
tate to  send  word  to  their  officer,  who  will  hold  out  a  hand  to 
you,  if  it  is  possible." 


119 


CHAPTER   VIII 

PREPARING   TO  ADVANCE 

"I  think  I  have  now  given  you  all  the  information  I 
possess,"  continued  the  Consul,  after  a  pause,  "  and  at  the 
risk  of  appearing  anxious  to  be  rid  of  you,  I  suggest  that  you 
should  lose  no  time  in  going  to  your  camp.  It  is  already 
upon  nine  o'clock,  and  you  will  scarcely  reach  it  within  an 
hour.  After  that  progress  will  be  very  slow,  for  marching  at 
night  with  a  convoy  of  camels  is  no  light  undertaking.  And 
now  it  only  remains  for  me  to  wish  you  all  success  in  your 
enterprise.  May  you,  Mr.  Hubbard,  return  within  a  short 
period  with  your  father,  and  you,  Mr.  Dixon,  reach  us  once 
again  primed  with  information  concerning  the  Mullah. 
Good-bye,  and  good  luck !  " 

Rising  from  his  seat,  the  Consul  advanced  towards  Jim 
and  his  friend,  and  shook  them  most  warmly  by  the  hand. 
Then  thrusting  the  roll  of  matting,  which  did  service  as  a 
blind,  on  one  side,  he  opened  the  sash  of  the  window,  and 
stepped  out  upon  the  verandah.  A  hasty  inspection  satisfied 
him  that  there  was  no  one  about,  and  he  returned  to  com- 
municate his  news  to  his  guests.  Five  minutes  later  the  two 
friends  were  racing  across  the  compound.  When  they 
reached  the  shadow  of  the  belt  of  trees,  Jim  halted,  and 
gripped  his  comrade  by  the  arm. 

"  Let  us  wait  here  for  a  few  minutes,  as  we  did  before," 
he  said,  "  for  it  might  happen  that  one  of  the  servants  over- 

120 


Preparing  to  Advance 

heard  our  conversation,  and  is  waiting  somewhere  near  at 
hand  to  catch  sight  of  the  Consul's  visitors." 

"  Right,"    his    companion    answered    promptly.      "  I    was 
thinking  just  the  same,  and  I  know  the  precaution  is  a  wise 


one." 


Accordingly  they  lay  down  upon  the  ground,  and  remained 
in  that  position  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  Then  they 
rose  to  their  feet  again,  and  moved  away  like  ghosts,  for 
their  sandals  made  not  the  slightest  noise  as  they  walked. 
When  they  had  put  some  three  hundred  yards  between  them- 
selves and  the  bungalow,  they  halted  again,  so  as  to  make 
certain  that  they  were  going  in  the  right  direction. 

"  Through  the  town,  and  bear  to  the  left,  away  from  the 
sea-coast,  the  Consul  told  us,"  said  Jim,  whose  spirits  were 
now  roused  to  the  highest  by  the  prospect  before  him.  "  Ali 
Kumar  has  been  warned  to  be  prepared  to  meet  us,  and,  I 
hope,  will  have  quietly  made  arrangements  to  move  away. 
If  that  is  the  case,  and  no  one  happens  to  be  near,  we  ought 
to  disappear  without  exciting  curiosity,  and  without  arousing 
the  suspicions  of  the  Mullah's  spies." 

"  After  that,  we'll  strike  along  the  coast-line,"  broke  in 
Tom,  "  and  march  until  we  come  to  some  wells  of  which  I 
have  been  told,  and  with  which  our  shikari  is  certain  to  be 
acquainted.  The  following  day  we  shall  ride  over  to  the 
village  in  which  the  man  lives  who  gave  information  about 
your  father.  That  done,  we  have  only  to  collect  our  stores 
when  the  dhow  arrives,  and  march  straight  for  the  interior. 
It's  going  to  be  a  risky  business,  Jim;  and  I  tell  you  plainly, 
that  the  more  I  think  of  it,  the  more  do  I  realize  the  danger 
and  difficulties  we  have  to  face.  Don't  think  I  am  getting 
nervous,  old  chap,"  he  continued  hastily,  "  but  we  shall  have 
to  be  extremely  cautious,  for  this  Mullah  has  just  obtained 

121 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

a  victory,  and  that  fact  alone  will  make  him  even  more 
audacious,  and  will  obtain  for  him  the  help  and  support  of 
many  who  have  hitherto  held  aloof." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Tom,  and  I  am  quite  sure  that  we 
shall  find  it  well  to  steer  clear  of  all  these  encampments. 
If  we  march  into  the  interior,  demanding  of  all  we  meet 
whether  they  have  heard  of  a  white  prisoner  who  recently 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Mullah,  I  am  quite  sure  our  doings 
will  be  reported,  and  that  we  shall  call  down  upon  our  heads 
the  wrath  of  this  fanatic.  I  have  been  thinking  the  matter 
out  as  we  came  along,  and  have  hit  upon  a  plan  which  might 
serve  us.  Let  us  tell  anyone  with  whom  we  come  in  contact 
that  we  have  been  in  the  service  of  the  '  Sirkal,'  or  the 
Government,  but  that  we  are  tired  of  them,  and  have  decided 
to  throw  in  our  lot  with  the  Mullah.  The  fact  that  I  do  not 
speak  the  language  will  not  matter  greatly,  for,  you  see,  I 
can  be  put  down  as  from  Aden,  where  all  sorts  of  nation- 
alities are  to  be  found.  But  I  shall  contrive  on  all  occasions 
to  keep  my  mouth  closed." 

"It  sounds  well,"  answered  Tom  thoughtfully;  "but  what 
about  our  men  ?  Knowing  that  we  are  Englishmen,  they 
will  quickly  spread  the  news  abroad,  so  that  everyone  will 
know." 

"  Much  depends  upon  Ali  Kumar,"  replied  Jim  decisively. 
"  If  he  has  told  them  that  they  are  in  the  employ  of  English- 
men, a  portion  of  my  plan  will  fall  through,  but  otherwise, 
we  shall  adhere  to  it,  if  you  are  agreeable." 

"  Perfectly !    And  now  let  us  push  on." 

Accordingly,  walking  side  by  side,  and  taking  no  notice  of 
those  whom  they  occasionally  passed,  save  that  Tom  returned 
their  salutation,  the  two  pressed  on,  and  passed  rapidly 
through  the  Arab  town.     Then  they  bore  to  the  left,  and 

122 


Preparing  to  Advance 

within  half  an  hour  came  in  sight  of  a  zareba.  By  now  a 
small  crescent  of  the  moon  had  risen  in  the  sky,  and  its  light 
enabled  them  to  see  that  some  sixty  camels  lay  stretched  upon 
the  ground,  while  close  at  hand  were  other  smaller  figures,  the 
followers  who  had  been  engaged  to  accompany  them  into  the 
interior.  Standing  in  a  listening  attitude,  a  few  paces  away, 
was  a  tall  man,  dressed  in  white  robes.  He  bore  a  lantern 
in  his  hand,  and  every  now  and  again  lifted  it  so  as  to  throw 
the  light  farther  afield,  as  if  he  were  expecting  someone. 
Suddenly  he  had  heard  Jim  and  Tom  advancing,  and  recog- 
nizing them,  even  though  they  were  disguised,  he  came 
towards  them,  salaaming  deeply. 

"  Welcome,  my  masters,"  he  said  eagerly.  "  I  am  Ali 
Kumar,  and  I  was  warned  to  be  ready  for  your  coming.  Here 
is  the  camp,  with  thirty  men  lying  there  sleeping,  but  pre- 
pared to  march  at  any  moment.  Give  your  orders,  and  I  will 
see  that  they  are  obeyed." 

Again  he  salaamed,  and,  lifting  his  lantern,  looked  long 
and  closely  into  Jim's  face,  as  if  he  were  anxious  to  ascertain 
what  sort  of  lad  he  was  to  follow. 

"  Good !  "  he  exclaimed  at  length.  "  You  are  young,  full 
young  for  this  enterprise,  but  you  are  brave — that  I  can 
plainly  see  in  your  eyes.  And  how  could  you  be  otherwise, 
for  no  one  who  was  not  possessed  of  courage  could  go  upon 
this  expedition,  even  for  the  sake  of  his  father." 

"  Have  you  heard  news  of  him  ?  "  asked  Jim  eagerly,  taking 
no  notice  of  his  remarks. 

"  None,"  was  the  answer.  "  I  have  but  lately  arrived,  and 
know  little  more  than  I  did  a  week  ago.  But  to-morrow, 
when  we  meet  the  man  who  saw  your  father,  we  shall  obtain 
all  the  information  that  is  possible.  Is  it  your  wish  that  we 
march  at  once  ?  " 

123 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Yes ;  for  the  sooner  we  are  off  the  better  I  shall  be  pleased. 
Do  you  know  the  direction  to  take?  We  are  informed  that 
there  are  wells  within  twenty  miles  of  here,  where  we  ought 
to  halt." 

"  I  can  follow  the  road  in  the  dark  as  surely  as  in  broad 
daylight,"  was  the  reassuring  answer..  "Stay  here,  masters, 
and  I  will  send  camels  to  you.  You  could  have  had  horses, 
had  the  saddles  arrived,  but  at  present  we  have  not  received 
them." 

Leaving  the  lantern  with  Jim  and  his  companion,  Ali 
Kumar  went  across  to  the  sleeping  men  and  gave  a  quick 
order.  Then  he  returned  leading  two  enormous  camels, 
which  grunted  and  grumbled  at  being  disturbed,  as  only 
animals  of  that  class  can. 

"  Keep  a  strict  watch  upon  their  heads,"  said  Ali,  in  warn- 
ing tones  to  Jim,  "  for  these  beasts  are  as  treacherous  as  the 
followers  of  the  Mullah,  and  love  nothing  better  than  to  seize 
with  their  teeth  anyone  who  may  be  passing.  Then,  too, 
they  will  kick  out  with  their  feet  when  people  pass  too  close 
behind  them.  I  have  seen  more  than  one  man  killed  in  that 
way.    Hau !    Lie  down !  " 

He  shouted  the  words  in  the  native  tongue,  and  at  once, 
obedient  to  the  command,  but  still  giving  vent  to  extraor- 
dinary grunts,  the  two  camels  sank  to  the  ground,  and  waited 
there  to  receive  their  riders. 

"  Sit  sideways,"  said  Ali,  taking  Jim  by  the  sleeve ;  for  he 
saw  that  his  young  master  was  wholly  unaccustomed  to  such 
a  steed.  "  Now  put  your  right  leg  round  this  piece  of  the 
saddle  which  sticks  up  in  front,  and  hook  it  there.  That  is 
the  way;  and  now  you  can  slip  your  foot  into  the  stirrup 
which  dangles  here,  and  will  feel  safe  even  when  the  animal 
begins  to  trot." 

124 


Preparing  to  Advance 

Jim  carefully  followed  the  instructions  given  to  him,  and 
was  surprised  to  find  that,  though  intensely  uncomfortable  at 
first,  his  seat  was  secure,  and  allowed  him  to  turn  freely,  and 
without  the  fear  that  he  was  about  to  fall  from  the  saddle. 
Having  settled  himself,  and  watched  Tom  take  his  place  with 
the  ease  obtained  from  long  practice,  Jim  gave  the  word, 
and  at  once,  on  a  sharp  command  from  Ali,  the  camels  rose 
to  their  feet,  swaying  wildly  from  side  to  side  as  they  did 
so,  in  a  manner  which  threatened  to  throw  their  riders  to  the 
ground,  and  groaning  in  such  loud  and  guttural  tones  that 
one  would  have  thought  the  effort  was  a  severe  one. 

Meanwhile  the  sleeping  camp  had  suddenly  awakened  into 
bustling  life.  Men  hurried  here  and  there,  and  the  camels 
were  forced  to  their  feet  by  a  succession  of  loud  shouts,  and 
often,  too,  by  means  of  the  free  application  of  the  haft  of  a 
spear,  for  they  disliked  this  sudden  disturbance.  But  at  last 
all  were  ready,  and,  at  a  sign  from  Ali,  the  cavalcade 
streamed  off  into  the  night,  the  animals  looking  decidedly 
ghostly  in  the  uncertain  light.  In  twos  and  threes,  and  some- 
times in  bigger  groups,  they  took  the  direction  of  the  wells, 
leaving  the  neighbourhood  of  Berbera  without  a  soul  being 
the  wiser. 

"  No  one  will  know  what  has  happened  to  us,"  said  Ali, 
forcing  his  beast  up  to  the  one  which  Jim  was  bestriding. 
"  We  have  given  it  out  that  we  are  in  the  service  of  the 
Governor,  and  as  it  is  quite  the  custom  for  camels  to  be  sent 
on  to  one  of  the  advance  stations  up-country  without  warn- 
ing, the  natives  will  think  that  nothing  out  of  the  way  has 
happened." 

"  But  what  about  the  men  ?  "  asked  Jim.  "  Do  they  think 
that  they,  too,  are  hired  by  the  Sirkal  ? " 

"  That  is  the  case,  master ;  but  I  have  quietly  sounded 

125 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

them,  and  I  have  learnt  that  they  are  willing  to  goganywhere, 
so  long  as  good  pay  is  promised  them.  Half  of  these  fol- 
lowers were  with  me  once  before  in  an  expedition,  and  I  can 
fully  trust  them;  the  remainder  are,  however,  strangers  to 
me.    But  I  think  you  will  find  them  brave  and  reliable." 

"  I  want  to  ask  another  question,"  said  Jim,  as  they  rode 
along.  "  My  friend  and  I  think  that  if  we  go  into  the  in- 
terior disguised  as  we  are,  we  shall  arouse  no  suspicion,  and 
shall  have  a  better  chance  of  evading  the  Mullah.  What  do 
you  think  of  the  plan?  And,  is  it  possible  to  keep  our 
nationality  from  the  followers?" 

Ali  Kumar  did  not  answer  for  some  moments,  but  bent  his 
head  upon  his  breast,  as  if  lost  in  thought.  Then  he  looked 
across  at  Jim  and  shook  his  head  emphatically. 

"No;  it  is  not  altogether  a  good  plan,  and  not  a  bad,"  he 
said.  "  If  you  attempt  to  deceive  these  men  who  act  as 
followers,  they  will  certainly  discover  your  secret  before 
many  days  are  past,  and  will  think  the  worse  of  you  for  not 
taking  them  into  your  confidence.  Besides,  some  of  the  men 
who  went  with  me  before  already  know  of  your  mission.  But 
they  are  to  be  fully  trusted,  as  I  said.  To  hoodwink  the 
Mullah  and  the  tribes  with  which  we  happen  to  come  in  con- 
tact is,  however,  a  ruse  which  carries  great  weight  with  it, 
and  I  think  with  you  that  it  will  be  well  if  you  and  your 
friend  go  dressed  as  you  are.  If  we  are  questioned,  you  can 
stay  in  the  background  while  I  do  the  necessary  talking,  and 
if  strangers  insist  on  speaking  with  you,  you  can  freely  admit 
that  you  are  English,  and  that  you  have  found  it  more  con- 
venient to  travel  in  the  guise  of  a  native. 

"  That  would  probably  lead  to  trouble ;  but,  then,  you  are 
sure  to  meet  with  some,  however  cautious  you  are.  And  now, 
master,  I  will  go  to  the  head  of  the  cavalcade,  and  will  lead 

126 


Preparing  to  Advance 

them,  for,  though  the  moon  is  bright,  it  is  easy  to  lose  the  way 
at  night." 

Salaaming  to  Jim  and  Tom,  he  spurred  his  camel  forward 
with  his  heel,  and  was  not  seen  again  till  the  following  morn- 
ing. Just  as  day  was  breaking  he  came  to  the  rear  again, 
and  reported  that  the  wells  were  at  hand,  and  that  the  camels 
and  men  were  already  settling  in  the  camp. 

"  And  now,  if  the  masters  are  ready,  we  shall  ride  on  to 
the  village  of  which  you  have  heard.  It  is  only  an  hour  from 
here,  so  that  we  shall  be  back  before  the  sun  is  overhead." 

"  We  are  ready.  Show  us  the  way,"  answered  Jim 
promptly ;  "  and  let  us  hope  that  this  fellow  will  have  good 
news  for  us." 

Accordingly,  waiting  for  one  minute  to  watch  their  fol- 
lowers, who  were  preparing  to  water  their  beasts,  they  turned 
their  faces  towards  the  east,  and,  with  the  sun  striking  full 
into  their  eyes,  pushed  on  through  beautifully  green  country, 
dotted  in  all  directions  by  trees.  This  was,  indeed,  a  small 
oasis,  surrounding  the  wells,  which,  by  the  many  footprints 
that  could  be  seen  indenting  the  ground,  was  evidently  fre- 
quented by  numerous  animals,  which,  no  doubt,  came  there 
to  obtain  water.  Farther  on,  however,  as  they  increased  their 
distance  from  the  camp,  the  stretches  of  closely  cropped  grass 
gave  place  to  an  interminable  sandy  waste,  devoid  of  all 
vegetation,  and  obstructed  here  and  there  by  enormous  dunes 
of  glistening  sand,  which  had  been  built  up  by  the  wind.  An 
hour's  ride  brought  them  to  a  tiny  village,  and  soon  they 
were  conversing  with  the  man  who  had  given  the  information 
of  Colonel  Hubbard's  capture.     But  he  had  no  further  news. 

"  It  chanced  that  a  beast  of  mine  had  strayed  from  its 
feeding-ground,"  he  said,  "  so  that,  mounting  my  pony,  I 
rode  into  the  desert,  hoping  to  discover  it.    Suddenly  I  saw  a 

127 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

group  of  tents  beyond  me  with  armed  men  about,  and  caution 
prompted  me  to  watch  ere  I  approached  them.  It  was  not 
long  before  I  had  every  reason  to  congratulate  myself  upon 
my  care,  for  they  proved  to  be  a  marauding  expedition  sent 
down  to  the  coast  by  the  Mullah.  As  I  lay  behind  a  hill  of 
sand,  keeping  my  eyes  upon  them,  I  observed  a  man  strug- 
gling wearily  towards  the  shore,  through  the  surf  which  was 
breaking  heavily  upon  it.  Creeping  nearer,  I  watched  him, 
and  soon  made  out  that  he  was  a  white  man.  Then,  as  I 
was  about  to  run  forward  to  warn  him,  the  Somali  warriors 
suddenly  espied  him,  and,  shouting  to  one  another,  galloped 
in  his  direction.  For  three  hours  I  watched,  and  saw  the 
camp  break  up  and  the  expedition  ride  away  with  their 
prisoner,  and  then  I  learned  by  questioning  a  follower  who 
had  been  left  behind,  having  broken  a  leg,  that  the  prisoner 
was  a  colonel,  as  you  speak  of  the  leaders  of  your  soldiers. 
More  than  that,  I  do  not  know,  save  his  looks,  which  I  will 
describe  to  you." 

The  native  then  gave  a  description  of  the  appearance  of 
the  Mullah's  prisoner,  and  as  Jim  listened  with  all  his  ears, 
any  doubt  that  he  might  still  have  had  as  to  the  identity  of 
the  man  who  had  reached  the  shore  was  set  definitely  at  rest, 
for  it  was  beyond  question  that  it  was  his  father.  Having 
assured  himself  that  no  further  information  was  to  be  ob- 
tained, he  made  the  man  a  handsome  present,  and  then  the 
party  turned  about,  and  retraced  their  steps  towards  the 
camp.  On  the  following  day  they  pushed  farther  along  the 
coast,  and,  when  the  next  morning  dawned,  had  the  satis- 
faction of  observing  a  dhow  beating  in  for  the  shore.  It 
proved  to  be  the  one  which  they  were  expecting,  and  before 
the  day  had  passed  she  had  safely  discharged  her  cargo. 

"  And  now  to  begin  our  work  in  earnest,"  said  Jim,  sur- 

128 


Preparing  to  Advance 

veying  the  piled-up  baggage.  "  I  propose  that  we  issue  rifles 
at  once  to  those  who  can  use  them,  and  that  we  give  them  a 
preliminary  training.  That  done,  we'll  appoint  certain  of 
the  men  to  act  as  scouts,  while  others  will  be  in  charge  of  the 
baggage-camels.  I  should  say  that  if  we  march  with  five 
■men  thrown  well  forward  and  on  the  flanks,  and  another  five 
in  the  rear,  we  ought  to  feel  secure  from  a  sudden  rush. 
What  do  you  think,  Tom?" 

"  That  tbe  plan  is  an  excellent  one,  old  boy,  and  shows 
that  you  have  your  wits  about  you.  As  an  additional  pre- 
caution, I  suggest  that  one  or  other  of  us  should  always  ride 
with  these  scouts,  Ali  Kumar  accompanying  the  one  who 
goes  in  front,  for  it  is  from  that  direction  that  danger  is  to  be 
expected.  Then,  I  think  that  we  ought  to  make  up  our 
minds  what  action  we  are  to  take  should  we  be  suddenly 
attacked.  You  see,  it  wouldn't  do  to  be  thrown  into  con- 
fusion and  have  these  followers  of  ours  firing  wildly  in  all 
directions." 

"  Quite  so,  Tom,  and  for  that  purpose  I  propose  a  prelimin- 
ary training.  We've  a  couple  of  hours  of  daylight  left,  and 
we  know  that  there  is  no  one  to  watch  our  movements,  for 
Ali  Kumar  posted  half  a  dozen  of  our  men  this  morning 
right  away  on  the  hills  over  there.  Let  us  give  the  order  to 
strike  camp;  and,  by  the  way,  what  about  mounts  for  our- 
selves ?  " 

"  For  the  purpose  of  the  march  we  shall  find  ponies  far 
more  useful  than  camels,"  answered  Tom  promptly;  "  for  the 
ponies  can  carry  one  at  a  swift  gallop  for  a  few  miles,  and 
will  enable  us  to  keep  easily  in  touch  with  our  front  and  rear 
guards.  For  longer  stretches,  however,  for  instance  when  we 
desire  to  reach  quickly  a  spot  some  twenty  miles  away  and 
return  with  equal  despatch,  the  camels  will  prove  most  valu- 

129 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

able,  for,  once  fed  and  watered,  they  will  go  on  for  hours  at  a 
steady  swinging  pace,  which  soon  gets  over  the  distance.  No 
wonder  they  are  called  '  ships  of  the  desert,'  for,  with  their 
extraordinary  powers,  their  spider-like  legs,  and  their  broad, 
soft  feet,  they  are  eminently  fitted  for  such  a  country.  But 
can  you  ride,  Jim  ?  " 

"  I've  been  on  a  horse  several  times  in  my  life,  Tom,  but 
I  can't  say  that  I  ever  felt  very  comfortable.  But  if  it  is 
necessary  to  ride,  I  will  learn,  whatever  it  costs  me." 

"  Then  we'll  give  orders  for  a  couple  of  the  ponies  to  be 
saddled   and    bridled,"    said    Tom,    "  and   for   the   camp    to 


move  on." 


Accordingly  they  called  for  Ali  Kumar,  and  directed  him 
to  see  the  baggage  loaded.  Then,  for  half  an  hour,  they 
toiled  with  their  followers,  struggling  in  the  midst  of  a 
group  of  recumbent  camels,  busily  lashing  burdens  on  the 
animals'  backs.  That  done,  all  the  natives  were  gathered 
together,  and  fifteen  of  them,  who  professed  to  be  able  to  use 
the  rifle,  were  supplied  with  weapons,  the  remainder  continu- 
ing to  carry  swords  and  spears  only.  Then  ten  of  those  who 
were  provided  with  firearms  were  mounted  upon  the  best 
ponies,  and  given  strict  orders  as  to  their  behaviour. 

"  They  are  terribly  excitable  people,  these  Somali  races," 
said  Tom,  "  and  I  have  often  been  told  that  when  employed 
as  scouts  they  are  continually  giving  the  alarm.  Perhaps 
they  see  a  buck  in  the  distance,  or  the  peak  of  a  mountain 
comes  into  their  line  of  vision,  and  at  once,  turning  about, 
they  gallop  furiously  back  to  the  column  behind  them,  shout- 
ing at  the  top  of  their  voices,  and  waving  their  weapons  above 
their  heads.  Then  they  pull  up  in  a  matter  of  two  yards,  and 
express  their  astonishment  at  finding  a  hasty  zareba  formed, 
and  preparations  already  made  for  an  attack.    It  is  all  done 

130 


Preparing  to  Advance 

to  show  off,  for  they  are  just  like  children,  and  love  to  attract 
attention  to  themselves.  But  as  we  cannot  afford  to  be  in  a 
condition  of  constant  alarm,  we  had  better  warn  them  that 
they  will  meet  with  our  displeasure  if  they  behave  in  such  a 


way." 


Tom's  words  were  communicated  to  Ali  Kumar,  who,  with 
Jim  beside  him,  at  once  began  to  address  the  followers,  im- 
pressing their  duties  upon  them,  and  making  them  repeat  the 
instructions.  Then  they  were  dismissed,  and  at  once 
mounted,  the  men  who  were  to  look  after  the  camels  clamber- 
ing into  their  seats.  At  this  moment  three  spirited-looking 
native  ponies  were  brought  forward  for  the  use  of  the  leaders 
of  the  party.  Giving  them  a  hasty  inspection,  and  pausing 
for  a  moment  to  see  that  the  stirrup-leathers  were  of  the 
right  length,  Jim  selected  the  one  nearest  to  him,  and  at  once 
proceeded  to  mount. 

"  Hold  the  reins  like  this,"  said  Tom,  coming  to  his  side  so 
as  to  show  him.  "  Now,  while  you  grip  them  with  your  left 
hand,  catch  up  a  wisp  of  the  mane  with  your  right,  and  twist 
it  round  the  spare  fingers  of  your  left.  That's  the  way. 
Now  put  your  foot  in  the  stirrup,  and  up  you  go !  " 

Following  these  instructions  carefully,  for  hitherto  he  had 
had  very  little  acquaintance  with  horses,  Jim  was  quickly 
seated  in  the  saddle,  and  feeling  the  opposite  stirrup 
dangling  beside  his  sandal,  thrust  his  foot  into  it.  Mean- 
while the  pony  had  made  no  objection,  but  had  stood  there, 
with  ears  thrown  back,  and  eyes  cast  suspiciously  at  his  new 
master.  Then,  probably  realizing  that  he  had  a  more  or  less 
new  hand  to  deal  with,  he  gave  vent  to  a  loud  squeal  of  anger, 
and  started  away  with  a  bound  which  almost  shook  Jim  from 
his  seat. 

"  Keep  his  head  up,  and  your  knees  well  pressed  into  the 

131 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

saddle !  "  sang  out  Tom.  "  Now,  watch  him,  for  he's  going  to 
play  a  trick  upon  you." 

That  this  was  the  case  was  quickly  evident,  for,  finding 
that  his  first  efforts  to  dislodge  his  rider  were  unsuccessful, 
the  pony  went  off  at  a  furious  gallop,  kicking  his  legs  high  in 
the  air  as  he  did  so.  Then,  when  in  the  very  midst  of  the 
loaded  camels,  he  suddenly  ducked  his  head  between  his  fore- 
legs, and,  arching  his  back,  sprang  high  into  the  air.  It  was 
a  fatal  movement  for  Jim,  who  at  once  shot  forward  into 
space,  and,  turning  as  he  went,  landed  full  upon  the  broad 
of  his  back.  In  a  moment  he  was  on  his  feet  again,  gasping 
for  breath,  but  determined  not  to  be  beaten.  Fortunately  he 
had  been  thrown  upon  a  sandy  patch,  and  though  shaken 
considerably,  he  was  by  no  means  hurt.  As  for  the  pony, 
now  that  it  had  accomplished  its  purpose,  it  stood  there  un- 
concernedly, as  if  it  were  incapable  of  such  behaviour.  Jim 
at  once  walked  up  to  it,  and  gathering  the  reins  in  his  hand 
as  Tom  had  shown  him,  thrust  his  sandalled  foot  into  the 
stirrup,  and  was  in  the  saddle  again  in  a  twinkling. 

"  Well  done !  "  shouted  Tom ;  while  the  natives,  who  were 
all  looking  on  in  the  most  interested  manner,  gave  vent  to 
exclamations  of  approval.  "  Well  done !  Stick  to  him  like 
a  leech,  and  show  him  that  you  mean  to  be  his  master ! " 

"  I  will,  even  if  I'm  thrown  twenty  times,"  answered  Jim, 
setting  his  teeth,  and  sitting  down  closer  to  his  saddle. 
"  Now  then !     On  you  go !  " 

The  animal  needed  no  second  bidding,  and  at  once  set  off 
at  a  rapid  pace.  But  this  time,  when  it  attempted  to  go 
through  the  old  movement  which  had  proved  so  successful, 
Jim  gave  a  sharp  jerk  to  the  reins,  and  kept  its  head  well 
up.  Again  it  made  the  attempt,  but  without  success,  and 
then,  unable  to  get  rid  of  its  rider  by  means  of  bucking,  the 

132 


Preparing  to  Advance 

spirited  pony  suddenly  darted  to  one  side,  and  Jim,  losing 
his  balance,  was  deposited  upon  the  ground  once  more.  Four 
times  in  succession  was  he  thrown,  but  in  every  case  he 
clambered  into  his  seat  again,  and  finally,  after  the  animal 
had  bolted  with  him  at  its  topmost  speed  for  a  mile  or  more, 
he  managed  to  quiet  it  down  by  patting  it  upon  the  neck,  and 
talking  to  it  in  a  soothing  voice.  Then  he  turned  it  about, 
and  with  the  beast  well  in  hand  this  time,  came  trotting  back 
into  the  camp,  with  flushed  face  and  dusty  garments,  but 
triumphant  and  elated.  As  he  did  so,  Tom  gave  vent  to  a 
cheer,  while  the  natives  hammered  their  spear-heads  loudly 
upon  their  shields  in  approbation. 

"  You  have  done  well,  master,"  said  Ali  Kumar,  coming 
forward  as  Jim  dismounted  in  their  midst.  "  These  men 
already  know  that  you  are  an  Englishman,  and  that  you  are 
their  leader.  They  have  been  waiting  to  learn  what  manner 
of  man  you  are,  and  whether  you  are  bold  enough  to  ride  into 
the  Mullah's  country.  It  was  easy  to  see  that  you  were  no 
great  horseman,  and,  believe  me,  your  courage  in  mounting 
again  and  again,  and  in  laughing  at  your  falls,  has  raised 
you  high  in  their  estimation.  They  will  now  obey  your  words 
far  more  willingly  than  they  would  otherwise  have  done.  But 
we  are  ready ;  shall  we  move  on  ? " 

Jim  agreed  with  a  wave  of  his  hand,  and  at  once  the 
cavalcade  was  set  in  motion.  Forty  of  the  camels,  which 
were  laden  with  every  variety  of  bale  and  box,  marched  in 
the  centre,  while  close  behind  them  came  twenty  others, 
which  could  be  relied  upon  to  trot  for  many  hours  together, 
all  roped  to  one  another.  Near  them  were  the  followers  who 
were  not  to  act  as  scouts,  keeping  an  eye  upon  them  lest  they 
should  attempt  to  stray,  and  prepared  to  make  secure  any 
bundle  which  showed  signs  of  breaking  loose.     Spread  out 

133 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

like  a  fan,  a  mile  ahead,  were  five  well-mounted  men,  while  a 
similar  number  stood  by  their  horses  at  the  camping-ground, 
waiting  until  the  column  moved  well  away.  And  in  this 
order,  with  Jim  and  Ali  Kumar  walking  their  ponies  in 
company  with  the  front  guard,  and  Tom  with  the  rear,  they 
pushed  on  in  a  southerly  direction,  their  faces  turned  towards 
a  distant  hazy  blue  line  which  showed  the  position  of  the 
range  of  hills  they  would  have  to  cross  before  reaching  the 
highlands,  and  the  broad  stretch  of  desert  which  intervened 
between  themselves  and  the  Mullah's  country. 

Jim  was  in  the  highest  spirits,  and  delighted  to  feel  that 
at  last  the  search  for  his  father  had  begun.  For  a  time  he 
rode  beside  Ali  Kumar,  conversing  with  him,  and  then  he 
trotted  back  towards  the  camels.  Having  assured  himself 
that  all  was  well  with  them,  he  was  about  to  return  to  his 
post,  when  suddenly  one  of  the  scouts,  stationed  away  on  the 
flank,  came  galloping  towards  him  at  top  speed,  shouting  and 
waving  frantically.  At  the  same  moment,  catching  sight  of 
him,  the  other  scouts  retired  upon  their  centre. 

"  Probably  a  false  alarm,"  Jim  told  himself ;  "  but  I  shall 
take  every  precaution.  Down !  "  he  shouted,  signalling  to  the 
followers  to  stop  the  camels.  Then,  remembering  the  native 
word  used  on  such  an  occasion,  he  repeated  it  loudly. 

Collecting  their  beasts  together,  the  men  quickly  had  them 
lying  upon  the  ground.  Then,  obedient  to  Jim's  signs,  they 
left  two  of  their  number  to  guard  them,  and  separating,  ran 
forward  some  fifty  yards.  There  they  halted,  and  knelt  upon 
the  ground,  ready  for  anything  that  might  turn  up.  A  few 
minutes  later  Ali  Kumar  and  the  scouts  joined  them,  and 
the  former  at  once  sharply  interrogated  the  man  who  had 
given  the  alarm. 

"  What  did  you  see?"  he  asked. 

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Preparing  to  Advance 

"  A  group  of  camels  three  miles  to  the  right,"  was  the 
answer.  "  As  far  as  I  could  see,  they  were  browsing  quietly, 
and  had  no  attendants." 

The  words  were  interpreted  to  Jim,  who  immediately  gave 
orders  for  the  column  to  move  on  again. 

"  We'll  send  a  couple  of  our  scouts  over  in  that  direction," 
he  said  to  Ali  Kumar,  "  and  you  must  tell  them  that  they  are 
to  ride  near  enough  to  be  able  to  obtain  full  information, 
without  themselves  being  seen.  Let  all  these  fellows  know 
at  the  same  time  that  they  are  to  investigate  anything  which 
may  turn  up  within  a  reasonable  distance,  and  that  they  are 
not,  on  any  account,  to  come  galloping  back  until  they  are 
sure  that  there  is  real  danger.  Let  us  have  a  signal  in  a  case 
like  that,  so  that  all  may  understand." 

"  That  is  a  first-rate  idea,"  cried  Tom,  who  had  been  listen- 
ing to  the  conversation.  "  If  we  are  certain  of  danger,  we 
need  not  fear  making  a  noise,  and,  therefore,  it  would  be  as 
well  to  fire  a  rifle.  A  shot  out  here,  in  this  atmosphere,  will 
be  heard  foi  a  couple  of  miles,  and  will  give  due  warning  to 
all  of  our  men.  Immediately  they  hear  it,  they  can  turn  and 
gallop  back  to  the  centre." 

Ali  Kumar  gathered  the  scouts  about  him  for  the  second 
time,  and,  having  again  impressed  the  caution  upon  them, 
despatched  them  to  take  up  their  posts.  Then  the  camels 
were  ordered  to  rise,  and  once  more  the  column  took  the  road. 
Shortly  after  darkness  fell  a  bright  moon  climbed  into  the 
sky,  and,  aided  by  its  light,  they  kept  on  steadily.  At  nine 
o'clock  they  halted,  and  at  once  the  followers  were  sent  to 
cut  thorn-bushes,  which  grew  in  profusion  everywhere.  With 
these  a  thick  wall,  or  zareba,  was  formed  about  the  camels, 
which  meanwhile  had  been  relieved  of  their  burdens.  A 
second  hedge  was  constructed  near  at  hand,  and  in  this  the 

t35 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

two  young  leaders  and  their  following  took  their  places. 
Very  soon  a  fire  was  burning  brightly,  and  an  hour  later  they 
were  all  seated  at  their  evening  meal. 

Two  days  passed  uneventfully,  and  then,  one  evening,  as 
the  column  rested  at  the  foot  of  the  hills,  Ali  Kumar  slipped 
away  from  his  companions,  who  were  already  fast  asleep, 
except  for  the  few  who  were  stationed  some  fifty  paces  off  as 
sentries,  and  creeping  to  Jim's  side,  touched  him  gently  upon 
the  shoulder. 

"  Hush,  master !  "  he  whispered.  "  Awake,  and  listen,  for 
I  have  news  of  treachery  for  you.  Within  an  hour,  at  any 
moment,  indeed,  we  may  be  attacked,  for  I  have  discovered 
that  one  of  our  followers,  who  was  a  stranger  to  me  until  a 
few  days  ago,  has  been  in  conversation  with  some  wandering 
natives,  and  has  even  now  stolen  away  from  the  zareba  so  as 
to  join  them  and  lead  them  to  the  attack." 


736 


CHAPTEK   IX 

AGAINST   HEAVY   ODDS 

Worn  out  by  a  long  day's  march  in  the  sun,  Jim  had 
wrapped  himself  in  his  blanket  at  an  early  hour,  and  had 
fallen  into  a  heavy  sleep.  It  was  with  a  start,  therefore,  and 
with  an  involuntary  clutch  at  the  rifle  which  lay  beside  him, 
that  he  suddenly  raised  himself  into  a  sitting  position,  to 
find  Ali  Kumar  beside  him. 

"  Treachery !  "  he  whispered,  as  if  dazed.  "  What  news 
have  you  to  give  to  me  ? " 

The  leader  of  the  native  followers  repeated  his  words  in 
low  tones,  and  again  warned  him  to  keep  silent. 

"  I  have  watched  the  man  of  whom  I  speak  for  these  two 
days  past,"  he  said.  "  And  I  have  learnt  that  he  is  a  traitor. 
Three  times  I  have  seen  him  conversing  with  natives  when 
supposed  to  be  watching  the  camels  which  were  out  grazing. 
Creeping  towards  him  like  a  snake,  I  hid  in  a  thorn-bush, 
and  listened  with  all  my  ears,  but  they  whispered  to  one  an- 
other, so  that  I  could  not  make  out  their  words.  This  even- 
ing, after  our  zareba  was  formed,  I  followed  him  again,  and 
saw  him  meet  two  men,  who,  by  their  dress,  were  the  chiefs 
of  a  neighbouring  tribe.  He  pointed  to  the  camels,  and 
counted  their  number  upon  his  fingers.  Then  I  saw  them 
turn  towards  the  entrance  of  this  pass  through  which  we  are 
to  go  on  the  morrow." 

" '  We  will  meet  you  there,'  cried  one  of  the  chiefs,  '  and 
perhaps  even  attack  before  you  enter.     But  my  men  do  not 

137 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

like  the  darkness  to  fight  in,  and  besides,  in  the  confusion 
and  alarm,  the  beasts  might  be  slain  or  scattered.  But  we 
shall  see ;  Allah  will  help  us  in  this  enterprise,  for  are  not  the 
followers  in  the  zareba  servants  of  the  infidel  ? ' 

"  That,  master,  is  what  I  overheard,"  continued  Ali,  "  and 
returning  to  the  camp,  I  made  plans  to  give  you  the  warn- 
ing; but  there  were  many  eyes  watching  me,  and  so  I  waited 
until  now." 

"You  did  wisely,"  said  Jim  quietly,  now  sitting  bolt  up- 
right, and  fully  awake.  "  We'll  get  my  comrade  to  join  us, 
and  then  will  decide  what  is  to  be  done,  for  this  is  a  serious 
matter,  and,  unless  we  take  instant  steps  to  protect  ourselves, 
may  lead  to  disaster." 

Accordingly,  he  stretched  out  his  hand  and  shook  Tom 
gently,  explaining  to  him  as  soon  as  he  was  awake  the  reason 
for  his  doing  so. 

"  And  now  we  have  to  decide  what  is  to  be  done,"  he  said. 
"  If  we  sit  here,  and  take  no  measures  to  protect  ourselves, 
it  is  probable  that  this  scoundrel  who  has  betrayed  us  will 
induce  the  tribesmen  to  attack  to-night.  The  moon  is  full, 
so  that  they  would  have  every  advantage,  for  our  zareba  lies 
bathed  in  the  light,  while  they  would  be  hidden  in  the  crev- 
ices of  the  rocks." 

"  I  don't  see  that  we  can  do  much  else  than  awake  our 
followers  and  warn  the  sentries  to  be  alert,"  Tom  whispered 
in  reply.  "  If  these  fellows  do  attack  us,  we  must  lie  down 
and  answer  their  fire;  but  I  fear  that  our  camels  will  suffer 
heavily." 

"  Where  are  these  men  likely  to  come  from  ? "  asked  Jim, 
suddenly,  turning  to  Ali  Kumar.  "  If  they  live  in  the 
highlands,  and  march  upon  us  by  way  of  the  pass,  I  think 
we  ought  to  arrange  a  trap  for  them.     If  it  were  carefully 

138 


Against  Heavy  Odds 

laid  and  proved  successful,  the  lesson  might  be  a  warning  to 
them,  and  teach  them  to  leave  us  alone." 

"  They  will  descend  from  the  hills,  master,  of  that  I  am 
sure ;  for  the  chiefs  whom  I  observed  in  conversation  with  our 
follower  were  men  from  the  highlands,  without  doubt." 

"  Then  I  propose  that  we  divide  our  forces,"  said  Jim, 
after  a  thoughtful  pause.  "  "Will  you,  Tom,  stay  here,  and 
defend  the  zareba  with  one  half,  while  I  take  the  other? 
Then,  with  Ali  Kumar  to  help  me,  I  shall  creep  up  the  pass, 
and  select  a  spot  where  the  road  is  narrow  and  difficult. 
There  we  shall  lie  down  and  wait  for  the  tribesmen.  If  they 
come  down  in  force,  and  do  not  turn  back  when  we  call  to 
them,  we  will  empty  our  rifles  into  their  midst;  and  I  think 
that  if  we  are  careful  in  choosing  the  site,  we  ought  to  be 
able  to  do  a  large  amount  of  execution.  That,  I  take  it,  is 
the  only  way  to  persuade  those  people  to  leave  us  alone." 

"  I'll  willingly  do  as  you  say,  Jim,  old  boy,"  Tom  answered 
readily,  wondering  as  he  did  so  at  the  coolness  and  foresight 
shown  by  his  young  companion.  "  Your  plan  sounds  an 
excellent  one,  and  the  only  suggestion  I  have  to  make  is  that 
you  should  shout  loudly  as  you  return,  or  you  may  be  draw- 
ing our  fire  upon  you.  You  see,  these  native  followers  of  ours 
are  excitable  fellows,  and  hearing  the  sound  of  people  ap- 
proaching, and  being  in  fear  of  an  attack,  they  would  blaze 
recklessly  into  the  darkness." 

"  Then  I'll  be  careful  to  call  out  your  name,  Tom,  and  you 
will  be  able  to  explain  to  the  men  that  all  is  well.  Now  I'll 
be  off,  as  these  tribesmen  may  appear  at  any  moment,  though 
I  fancy  it  is  too  early  for  them  yet.  They  will  probably  wait 
till  the  early  morning,  when  we  ought  to  be  in  our  deepest 
sleep,  and  should  therefore  fall  easy  victims.  But,  thanks 
to  Ali  Kumar,  we  have  been  warned,  and  if  we  do  not  take 

139 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

advantage  of  that  fact,  we  shall  have  only  ourselves  to  blame. 
Good-bye,  and  don't  get  fidgety  if  I  do  not  return  for  some 
hours,  for,  as  I  have  just  said,  we  shall  probably  have  to  wait 
a  considerable  time  before  they  put  in  an  appearance." 

Nodding  coolly  to  his  companion,  Jim  rose  to  his  feet,  and 
silently  crossed  the  zareba  to  the  spot  where  the  followers  lay 
sleeping.  One  by  one,  those  who  were  armed  with  rifles,  and 
could  be  trusted  to  stand  by  their  master  in  a  position  of 
danger,  were  aroused  and  cautioned  to  keep  silent.  At 
length  fifteen  were  collected,  and  with  these  and  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  ammunition  Jim  stole  out  from  the  zareba,  and 
took  the  narrow  and  rough  road  which  led  to  the  pass.  He 
left  Tom  busily  engaged  in  instructing  the  remainder. 
These  were  also  armed  with  rifles  now,  though  they  were  less 
expert  than  their  comrades.  Still,  at  close  range  they  could 
be  trusted  to  give  a  good  account  of  themselves,  and  to  aid 
in  keeping  the  enemy  at  a  distance.  Then  the  sentries  were 
brought  in  closer  to  the  wall  of  thorns,  and  ordered  to  lie 
down,  so  that  they  should  be  invisible  to  the  enemy,  for 
while  they  were  standing  the  rays  of  the  moon  falling  upon 
their  tall  figures  threw  long  shadows,  which  would  soon 
have  drawn  the  fire  of  the  tribesmen. 

Thanks  to  the  brightness  of  the  night,  Jim  and  his  little 
party  had  no  difficulty  in  picking  their  way,  for  every 
boulder,  and  each  nullah,  or  ravine,  stood  clearly  outlined. 
They  were  soon  at  the  bottom  of  a  gentle  ascent,  which 
marked  the  beginning  of  the  pass.  But  here  the  road  was 
broad,  and  would  have  been  difficult  to  defend. 

"  They  would  manage  to  slip  round  us,"  said  Jim  in  Ali 
Kumar's  ear,  taking  note  of  the  surroundings.  "  I  want  to 
get  to  a  part  where  the  pass  narrows  to  a  few  yards  only. 
If  we  can  find  such  a  position,  we  shall  pile  boulders  across 

140 


Against  Heavy  Odds 

the  road,  and  post  our  men  behind  them.  Then  every  shot 
we  fire  will  tell,  for  these  Somalis  who  are  about  to  attack 
us  will  certainly  come  in  force,  and  as  they  will  not  be 
expecting  danger  until  they  reach  the  bottom  of  the  gorge, 
they  are  likely  to  be  marching  in  close  order.  That  will 
be  our  chance,  and  if  it  occurs,  we  will  make  the  most  of 
it." 

"  I  know  of  a  position  which  will  suit  your  wishes, 
master,"  answered  Ali.  "  Often  have  I  made  my  way  by 
this  road,  so  often  indeed  that  I  could  find  the  path  during 
a  darker  night  than  this  is.  We  must  keep  on  for  another 
quarter  of  a  mile,  as  you  English  people  speak  of  distance, 
and  then  we  shall  find  that  the  hill  to  the  right  and  left  of 
us  closes  in  suddenly,  as  if  about  to  obstruct  our  further 
progress.  I  think  that,  at  some  time,  years  ago  perhaps,  a 
river  must  have  forced  its  way  from  the  highlands  through 
these  hills  on  its  way  to  the  plains  below  and  to  the  sea. 
Whatever  the  cause,  the  crags  are  cleft  in  twain  a  little 
way  above  us,  so  that  a  road  is  possible.  Half  a  mile  farther 
on  the  land  recedes  as  suddenly  as  it  runs  together  here, 
and  by  marching  for  an  hour  one  finds  one's  self  again  in 
the  midst  of  a  sweeping  plain,  but  this  time  far  higher  than 
before." 

"  It  sounds  as  if  it  would  prove  a  likely  place,"  said  Jim, 
eagerly,  "  so  let  us  push  on,  I  am  in  a  fever  to  get  our  men 
into  their  positions,  for  if  these  tribesmen  happened  to  ad- 
vance now  instead  of  later  on,  our  plans  would  be  ruined, 
and  we  ourselves  should  be  in  a  very  dangerous  fix." 

Striding  ahead  through  the  darkness,  Jim  encouraged  his 
followers  to  greater  exertions  by  the  example  which  he  set 
them.  So  rapidly  did  they  walk,  that  barely  ten  minutes  had 
elapsed  before  he  became  aware  that  the  gorge  in  which  they 

141 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

were  was  narrowing.  Soon  he  could  see  black  walls  of  rock 
on  either  hand,  and  a  moment  or  two  later  it  seemed  as 
though  the  road  itself  had  suddenly  come  to  an  end.  Nothing 
but  pitch  black  darkness  could  be  seen  before  them,  while  the 
path  at  their  feet  was  buried  in  obscurity,  the  rays  of  the 
moon  having  been  cut  off  by  the  steep  cliffs.  But  a  careful 
search  revealed  the  interesting  fact  that  there  was  a  broad 
cleft  in  the  wall  in  front  of  them,  through  which  the  road 
passed  on  its  way  to  the  highlands. 

"  The  very  place  for  us,"  whispered  Jim,  almost  giving 
vent  to  a  cry  of  exultation,  so  great  was  his  delight.  "  This 
gorge  cannot  be  more  than  five  yards  in  width,  and  will  suit 
capitally.  You  say  that  it  continues  for  another  half-mile 
at  the  same  width?  " 

"  No,  master,  I  said  not  at  the  same,"  answered  Ali  Kumar 
hastily.  "  From  this  spot  for  twenty  paces  perhaps,  it  is 
as  narrow,  while  the  road  is  littered  with  big  rocks  and 
boulders,  which  are  difficult  to  cross.  Farther  on,  however, 
it  widens  gradually,  and  then,  at  the  distance  you  mentioned, 
suddenly,  till  one  finds  one's  self  in  the  open  again." 

"  If  that  is  the  case,  these  men  who  are  coming  to  steal 
our  beasts  will  crowd  together  without  meaning  to  do  so," 
said  Jim    thoughtfully. 

"  That  will  be  the  case,  master.  They  will  descend  the 
pass  without  great  caution,  for  the  traitor  who  was  of  our 
number  will  have  told  them  that  our  sentries  are  never  posted 
more  than  a  few  yards  from  the  zareba.  Therefore  they 
will  have  no  need  to  observe  much  stealth  till  they  emerge 
lower  down.  They  will  walk  together  or  separately,  knowing 
that  the  difficulty  of  the  path  at  this  end  of  the  gorge  will 
impede  the  progress  of  those  who  are  in  front,  and  allow  all 
the  stragglers  to  come  up  with  them.     After  that,  no  doubt, 

142 


Against  Heavy  Odds 

they  will  send  scouts  ahead,  and  follow  like  ghosts,  hoping  to 
take  us  unawares." 

"We  shall  have  something  to  say  to  that,  I  think,"  Jim 
answered,  indulging  in  a  chuckle  at  the  thought.  "I've 
been  busily  making  plans,  Ali,  and  I  have  decided  to  act 
in  this  way.  We  have  fifteen  men  with  us,  and  our  two 
selves.  If  more  than  a  third  of  that  number  attempted  to 
hold  the  bottom  of  the  pass,  it  would  lead  to  certain  con- 
fusion, for  the  space  is  very  small.  Now,  it  has  occurred 
to  me  that  the  surprise  would  be  far  greater  if  we  were 
to  separate  a  little.  For  instance,  we  will  give  five  of  the 
natives  orders  to  remain  here,  and  let  them  set  to  work  at 
once  to  pile  a  ridge  of  rocks  across  the  path.  Then  we  will 
climb  the  cliff  on  either  side,  and  if  we  can  find  ledges  big 
enough  for  the  purpose,  we  will  send  the  remainder  to  them." 

"  It  is  a  great  plan,  master,"  said  Ali,  salaaming  to  Jim 
in  his  enthusiasm.  "  A  truly  clever  one  with  which  to  entrap 
these  people,  and  it  shows  that  our  leader  is  not  only  brave 
— as  we  clearly  saw  when  he  first  mounted  his  horse — but 
wise  and  far-seeing  also.  We  are  fortunate  indeed,  for  it 
sometimes  happens  that  the  lives  of  all  in  such  an  expedi- 
tion as  this  are  sacrificed  because  of  the  want  of  discretion 
in  the  one  who  commands  it.  Yes,  it  is  a  good  plan,  and 
it  should  prove  successful.  There  are  surely  ledges  above 
us  to  which  active  men  such  as  we  have  could  climb,  and 
from  which  they  could  pour  a  scathing  fire  into  the  enemy. 
Perhaps,  even,  they  might  be  posted  farther  up  the  gorge, 
with  a  pile  of  boulders  at  their  feet.  There  is  nothing  that 
strikes  fear  into  the  hearts  of  those  who  are  unaware  of  dan- 
ger as  the  sudden  descent  of  rocks  upon  their  heads.  They  fly 
in  terror  to  right  and  left,  but  cannot  escape,  and  if  they 
turn  with  the  hope  of   retreat,   it  sometimes  happens  that 

143 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

the  road  is  blocked  by  their  comrades.  Then,  indeed,  is 
the  time  when  men  become  wild  with  fright,  and  suffer 
defeat  at  the  hands  of  a  few." 

"Perhaps  it  may  turn  out  in  that  way  to-night,"  Jim 
said  thoughtfully.  "  I  do  not  wish  to  harm  a  single  one 
of  these  tribesmen,  but  if  they  really  mean  to  attack  us  for 
the  sake  of  the  loot  which  they  would  get,  then  they  must, 
take  the  consequences.  Of  course,  we  might  retreat,  but  if 
we  shirk  this  danger  and  difficulty  now,  we  shall  never  suc- 
ceed in  reaching  the  Mullah's  country.  We  should  be 
laughed  at  by  everyone,  and  should  have  cause  to  be  ashamed 
of  ourselves.  No,  I  have  decided  to  go  on  with  my  under- 
taking, whatever  happens,  and  if  these  fellows  interfere  with 
us,  they  must  look  to  themselves.  I  shall  get  you  to  warn 
them,  and  if  after  that  they  still  come  on,  hoping  to  over- 
power us  by  numbers,  then  I  shall  blaze  into  the  middle  of 
them,  and  the  severer  the  lesson  they  are  taught,  the  better 
it  will  be  for  us  in  the  future,  for  the  other  tribes  will  hear 
of  the  conflict,  and  will  take  the  warning  to  heart.  And 
now  let  us  place  the  men." 

Anxious  as  he  was  to  get  all  in  readiness  for  the  expected 
attack,  Jim  would  not  allow  his  fears  to  hurry  him  unduly, 
for  it  was  important  to  obtain  the  most  advantageous  posi- 
tion. To  allot  five  of  the  followers  to  the  mouth  of  the 
ravine  was  an  easy  task,  and  very  soon  those  who  had  been 
selected  were  busily  engaged  in  preparing  a  low  breastwork 
which  would  give  them  shelter  should  the  tribesmen  possess 
firearms,  as  was  veiy  likely,  and  discharge  them  in  that 
direction.  Jim  waited  patiently  beside  them,  directing  their 
operations,  and  was  not  satisfied  till  a  wall  some  four  feet 
high  was  erected,  with  niches  cunningly  left  near  the  base 
through  which   the   muzzles   of   the   rifles   could   be  thrust. 

144 


Against  Heavy  Odds 

Then,  accompanied  by  AH  Kumar  alone,  he  scaled  the 
steep  cliff  on  the  right,  and  set  to  work  to  look  for  a  ledge 
which  would  do  for  his  purpose. 

"  Here  is  one,"  he  exclaimed  at  last,  when  after  a  very 
difficult  piece  of  climbing  they  had  ascended  some  twenty 
yards  or  more.  "  This  piece  of  rock  juts  out  from  the  face 
of  the  ravine,  and  will  allow  the  men  to  fire  down  into  it, 
while  the  edge  will  protect  them." 

"  It  is  well  chosen,"  agreed  the  native  headman,  creeping 
to  the  edge  and  looking  over.  "  Standing  here,  we  are  in 
deep  shadow,  but  in  an  hour,  when  the  moon  has  risen  higher 
into  the  sky,  the  light  will  fall  full  into  the  gorge,  and  every 
object  will  be  visible.  Yes,  master,  it  is  wisely  chosen,  for 
how  can  the  enemy  return  our  fire  when  it  comes  from  the 
darkness  of  the  rocks  ? " 

Bidding  Ali  call  gently  to  five  more  of  the  men,  Jim 
waited  to  see  them  take  up  their  appointed  posts,  and  left 
them  there  with  strict  orders  that  they  were  not  to  make  a 
sound,  and  were  not  to  attempt  to  open  fire  until  the  word 
was  given.  Then  he  and  his  companion  descended,  and  made 
their  way  up  the  face  of  the  opposite  cliff.  It  was  even  a 
harder  climb  than  the  other  had  been,  but  after  winning 
their  way  up  for  a  distance  of  a  few  yards  only,  they  had 
the  good  fortune  to  strike  upon  a  narrow  ledge  which  seemed 
to  wind  up  the  face  of  the  rock.  At  the  best  of  times  it 
offered  but  a  precarious  footing,  but  now,  when  it  was  at- 
tempted in  darkness,  it  was  a  hazardous  undertaking.  But 
Jim  made  light  of  the  danger.  Indeed,  he  gave  no  thought 
to  it,  for  all  his  attention  was  occupied  in  the  search  for  a 
favourable  and  commanding  site.  Thanks  to  the  soft  sandals 
which  he  wore,  he  was  able  to  obtain  a  firmer  footing  than 
would  have  been  possible  had  he  been  shod  with  boots,  and 

145 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

taking  advantage  of  the  feeling  of  security  which  this  gave 
him,  he  clambered  steadily  upwards,  Ali  following  closely 
behind  him,  and  giving  notice  of  his  presence  by  his  hard 
breathing.  Suddenly  the  tiny  ledge  broadened  out,  and  on 
halting  for  a  few  seconds  to  rest,  Jim  became  aware  of  the 
fact  that  the  cliff  had  receded,  leaving  a  small  shelf,  capable 
of  accommodating  thirty  or  more  men. 

"  We  are  in  luck !  "  he  cried  joyfully.  "  This  part  of  the 
cliff  overhangs  the  gorge  below,  and  is  some  yards  from  the 
entrance.  I  can  feel  boulders  everywhere,  so  that  our  fellows 
will  not  have  to  search  far  for  missiles.  Then,  too,  there  is 
no  danger  of  their  dropping  them  on  their  comrades,  for 
they  will  be  well  out  of  range.  Yes,  it  will  suit  very  well ;  let 
us  call  up  the  men." 

Once  more  the  process  of  giving  directions  to  the  natives 
was  gone  through,  this  time  orders  being  issued  that  they 
were  to  rely  upon  rocks  instead  of  upon  rifles.  Then,  satisfied 
that  everything  was  in  readiness,  Jim  sat  down  upon  a 
boulder  at  the  entrance  of  the  gorge,  and  waited  there  with 
what  patience  he  could  command.  It  was  exciting  work 
sitting  there  in  the  darkness  surrounded  by  precipitous 
walls,  and  without  a  sound  to  break  the  silence  save  the 
occasional  jar  of  a  rifle  as  it  was  struck  against  a  piece  of 
stone.  All  sorts  of  thoughts  and  fancies  passed  through  his 
mind  during  the  hours  of  waiting.  He  wondered  whether 
his  school-friends  were  thinking  of  him,  what  time  it  was  in 
old  England  at  that  moment,  and  whether  the  boys  were  even 
then  engaged  in  battling  with  the  same  tasks  which  he  had 
so  lately  forsaken.  Yes,  it  was  strange  to  reflect  that  barely 
a  month  ago  he  was  a  mere  boy,  acting  a  boy's  part,  and 
with  scarcely  a  thought  for  the  future.  And  now  he  was  the 
recognized  leader  of  a  real  expedition,  about  to  invade  the 

146 


Against  Heavy  Odds 

country  of  the  Mullah,  as  fierce  a  fanatic  as  had  ever  sprung 
to  power  to  be  a  scourge  to  his  neighbours.  It  was  strange 
indeed.  It  was  almost  beyond  belief  that  it  was  he,  Jim 
Hubbard,  sitting  there  upon  that  rock,  listening  to  the 
beating  of  his  own  heart,  and  straining  his  ears  for  the 
sounds  which  seemed  as  though  they  would  never  come. 
Supposing  this  tribe  did  not  attack  after  all.  Supposing 
Ali  had  made  a  huge  blunder,  and  was  the  victim  of  too 

vivid  imagination.     Supposing Hark!     What  was  that? 

A  stone  falling  from  the  cliff  away  above  his  head,  or  a 
footfall  upon  the  road  which  led  through  the  gorge? 

At  this  sound,  faint  though  it  was,  each  man  who  lay 
there  in  ambush  became  alert,  while  Jim  sprang  to  his  feet 
and  peered  into  the  blackness. 

"  The  enemy !  "  whispered  a  voice  in  his  ear.  "  Did  I  not 
tell  you  rightly,  master?  After  all,  the  sheiks  have  decided 
to  attack  during  the  hours  of  darkness." 

It  was  Ali  Kumar  who  had  slipped  up  to  Jim's  side 
without  making  so  much  as  a  sound.  Then,  together,  they 
stood  listening,  bending  their  heads  towards  the  gorge,  as 
though  that  would  help  them. 

Ah!  There  it  was  again.  Was  it  a  man  walking,  or  was 
it  the  sound  of  a  voice? 

For  some  minutes  there  was  silence,  and  then  the  mystery 
was  cleared  up  to  everyone's  satisfaction,  for  down  the  rocky 
sides  of  the  ravine  came  the  noise  of  men  talking.  Almost 
at  the  same  moment  a  thin  streak  of  the  moon  climbed  up 
above  the  highest  edge  of  the  cliff,  and  shot  rays  of  brilliant 
whiteness  down  upon  the  road. 

One,  two — why,  the  gorge  was  packed  with  figures  clad  in 
white  and  bearing  every  sort  of  arm.  They  might  have  been 
bound  upon  a  friendly  visit  so  far  as  precautions  went,  for 

147 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

they  talked  without  restraint,  but  in  low  tones;  while  their 
leader,  happening  to  strike  his  foot  against  a  boulder  of  un- 
usual size,  gave  vent  to  a  loud  cry  of  pain,  and  stood  there, 
with  one  hand  upon  the  mass  of  rock,  and  the  other  chafing 
his  injured  limb. 

But  however  friendly  their  appearance,  the  object  of  their 
midnight  wandering  was  quickly  apparent,  for,  as  he  rubbed 
his  damaged  foot,  the  sheik  called  to  his  followers  to  gather 
about  him,  and  proceeded  to  harangue  them,  Ali  Kumar 
interpreting  his  words  to  Jim  as  he  did  so. 

"  Stand  as  near  to  me  as  the  gorge  will  allow,"  said  the 
leader  of  the  tribesmen,  "  and  I  will  tell  you  what  course  to 
take  when  we  have  descended  to  the  plain.  There,  as  you 
well  know,  lies  the  zareba  of  these  imbelieving  dogs,  and  with 
them  are  many  camels,  and  loot  sufficient  for  us  all.  I 
command  you  to  keep  together  until  you  are  almost  upon 
them.  Then  you  will  divide,  and  while  one  half  march  so 
as  to  gain  the  farther  side,  the  other  will  rest  where  they  are, 
taking  pains  to  preserve  the  greatest  silence.  When  all  are 
ready,  I  will  fire  my  gun,  and  then  let  every  man  fall  upon 
the  dogs.  Allah  will  strengthen  our  arms,  and  will  give  us 
the  victory." 

"  Allah  is  great,  and  we  are  his  chosen,"  murmured  his 
audience.     "  Lead  us,  and  we  will  slay  these  unbelievers." 

"  Let  them  come  a  few  paces  nearer,  and  then  shout  to 
them  to  returu  home,"  said  Jim  sternly,  whispering  the  words 
in  his  companion's  ear.  "  Tell  them  that  we  had  news  of 
their  intended  attack,  and  that  we  will  fire  upon  them  if  they 
come  any  nearer." 

Striding  to  the  barrier  of  stones,  Ali  called  loudly  to  the 
sheik,  who  was  in  the  act  of  moving  forward  again. 

"  Halt  where  you  are !  "  he  cried.     "  My  master  bids  me 

148 


"fire!"  shouted  JIM.     "empty  voir  rifles  INTO  them. 


Against  Heavy  Odds 

tell  you  that  he  is  aware  of  your  treacherous  plans,  and  that 
he  is  prepared  to  punish  you  for  them.  But  he  does  not 
desire  to  shed  blood,  and  therefore  gives  you  the  choice  of 
returning  in  peace  to  your  homes.  If  you  refuse,  he  will 
open  fire." 

At  the  words  the  sheik  and  his  following  came  to  an 
abrupt  stop,  and  stood  there  silently,  dumfounded  by  the 
news.  It  seemed  impossible  that  their  intention  should  have 
been  discovered  by  the  leader  of  the  expedition,  and  still  more 
unlikely  that  he  had  the  power  to  do  them  any  but  the 
smallest  harm. 

"  Why,  they  are  but  thirty  all  told,"  cried  the  sheik,  with 
a  scoffing  laugh.  "  And  yet  they  come  here  to  meet  us  and 
to  threaten  us  with  death  should  we  persist  in  our  plan.  It 
is  ridiculous!  It  is  a  child's  plot,  made  to  frighten  us.  Do 
not  listen,  but  press  on,  my  men." 

With  a  shout  the  tribesmen  at  once  started  forward,  and, 
drawing  their  weapons,  rushed  at  the  entrance  of  the  gorge. 
But  they  had  not  counted  on  the  fact  that  it  was  plunged  in 
darkness,  and  obstructed  with  numerous  boulders.  Running 
forward  upon  a  pathway  which  was,  just  there,  lit  by  the  rays 
of  the  moon,  they  stumbled  blindly  against  the  rocks,  and, 
one  of  them  happening  to  fall,  a  dozen  or  more  of  his  com- 
rades had  tripped  over  him,  and  were  grovelling  on  their 
faces  before  a  minute  had  passed.  But  the  remainder  pushed 
on  without  a  pause,  and,  closely  packed  together,  and  shriek- 
ing threats  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  endeavoured  to  reach 
the  spot  where  their  unseen  opponents  were. 

"  Fire !  "  shouted  Jim,  seeing  that  the  moment  for  action 
had  at  length  arrived.     "  Empty  your  rifles  into  them." 

Leaning  upon  the  breastwork  of  stones,  he  took  steady  aim 
with  his  own  weapon,  directing  it  at  the  sheik,  who  was  to  be 

149 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

seen  wedged  in  the  middle  of  his  men,  and  frantically  strug- 
gling to  push  them  back  so  as  to  allow  him  to  bring  to  his 
shoulder  the  gun  which  he  bore  in  his  hand. 

Bang!  The  report  set  the  rocks  ringing  on  either  hand, 
and  was  at  once  followed  by  a  volley  from  the  breastwork 
and  from  the  ledge  to  the  right.  Shooting  out  the  empty 
cartridge,  Jim  looked  eagerly  to  see  what  success  he  had  had, 
and  was  astonished  to  find  that  the  sheik  still  occupied  the 
same  position.  But  he  was  hit,  and  mortally,  too,  for  a 
moment  later  he  suddenly  threw  his  hands  into  the  air  and 
fell  backwards.  Another  moment,  and  he  was  beneath  the 
feet  of  the  tribesmen,  who  trampled  upon  him  without 
hesitation. 

But  now  another  feature  was  added  to  the  scene.  Struck 
by  the  volley  aimed  at  them,  the  attackers  had  drawn  back 
in  consternation,  but,  quickly  recovering,  they  answered  the 
shout  of  another  leader,  who  at  once  came  forward  to  replace 
the  sheik,  and  again  dashed  headlong  for  the  entrance  of  the 
gorge.  As  they  did  so,  a  series  of  loud  and  sickening  thuds 
told  that  the  men  who  had  been  posted  above  were  carrying 
out  their  orders.*  Indeed,  a  glance  at  the  cliff  overhead 
showed  clearly  what  was  happening ;  for  the  rays  of  the  moon 
had  now  penetrated  to  the  shelf,  and  each  follower,  as  he  rose 
to  lift  a  boulder  and  cast  it  over  the  ravine,  stood  clearly 
outlined  against  the  dark  rock  behind. 

Shouts  and  screams  soon  told  that  their  efforts  were  not 
in  vain,  and  just  as  Jim  was  about  to  order  another  volley  to 
be  poured  into  the  gorge,  the  enemy  turned,  and  now  fighting 
fiercely  with  one  another  to  get  away,  fled  from  the  scene  as 
rapidly  as  the  circumstances  and  their  crowded  condition 
would  admit. 

"  Let  us  hope  that  that  will  be  enough  for  them,"  said 

150 


Against  Heavy  Odds 

Jim,  leaning  over  the  barrier  and  staring  along  the  ravine. 
"I  can  count  twelve  bodies  lying  amongst  the  boulders,  and 
there  are  others  beneath  the  rocks  farther  on.  I  am  glad 
now,  Ali  Kumar,  that  you  advised  that  these  boulders  should 
be  thrown  down  upon  their  heads,  for  it  was  that  that  caused 
them  to  fly.    What  do  you  think  will  happen  now  ? " 

"  They  will  retire  into  the  plain  beyond,  and  perhaps  even 
farther,  before  they  recover  their  courage,"  answered  Ali 
thoughtfully.  "  Then  they  will  look  amongst  themselves  to 
discover  who  is  dead.  When  they  find  that  we  have  killed 
their  sheik,  and  that  they  have  suffered  heavy  losses,  they 
will  be  mad  with  anger,  for  all  will  know  of  their  disgrace. 
Before  setting  out  this  night,  you  may  be  sure  that  they 
held  a  feast,  and  called  all  their  women  folk  to  it,  boasting 
that  to  capture  the  camp  was  but  a  simple  matter,  for  it 
contained  few  men,  and  would  certainly  be  taken  by  surprise ; 
and  now  they  will  reflect  that  they  have  been  beaten  by  a 
mere  handful,  and  that  their  prey  is  about  to  escape  them, 
and  even  to  laugh  at  them.  I  know  these  people  well,  master, 
for  I  am  one  of  them  by  birth;  and  I  am  sure  that  the 
succeeding  sheik  will  harangue  his  followers,  speaking  as  I 
have  just  told  you.  Little  by  little  he  will  rouse  their  anger, 
and  when  he  reminds  them  of  the  booty  to  be  obtained,  I  feel 
sure  that  they  will  again  advance  to  the  attack." 

"  Then  we  had  better  prepare  for  them,"  said  Jim  sharply. 
"  We  have  given  them  one  surprise,  and  I  propose  that  we 
arrange  another,  for  that  is  the  only  way  in  which  we  can 
attempt  to  make  up  for  the  great  difference  in  numbers." 

"  But  what  can  you  do,  master  ?    You  have  made  all  the 
plans  and  selected  every  position  that  it  is  possible  to  think 
of,  and  now  all  that  you  can  do  is  to  remain  as  you  are." 
"  I  fancy  that  we  can  manage  more  if  we  try,"  answered 

151 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

Jim  with  decision.  "  You  see,  if  the  fellows  attack  again, 
they  will  know  exactly  where  our  men  are  posted,  and  will 
certainly  open  a  hot  fire  upon  them,  telling  off  so  many  of  the 
tribesmen  to  keep  it  up  and  make  it  impossible  for  them  to 
show  themselves,  or  hurl  rocks  down  into  the  ravine.  At 
least,  tbat  is  what  I  should  do  if  I  were  their  leader.  In  that 
case,  the  remainder  would  have  an  excellent  chance  of  getting 
to  close  quarters,  which  is  what  we  want  specially  to  avoid, 
for  if  that  were  to  happen,  numbers  would  certainly  tell 
upon  us." 

"  But  you  cannot  think  of  retiring,  master ! "  exclaimed 
Ali  hastily.  "  To  do  so  would  be  to  sacrifice  all  your  follow- 
ing. Stay  here,  then,  for  to  reach  the  zareba  the  tribesmen 
must  pass  through  this  gorge,  there  being  no  other  way 
round." 

The  native  headman  grasped  Jim  by  the  arm  in  his  anxiety, 
and  looked  into  his  face,  fearful  lest  he  should  decide  to  take 
a  step  which  would  end  in  their  ruin. 

"  You  may  banish  that  from  your  mind,"  said  Jim  sharply. 
"  I  am  not  going  to  retire  for  any  man,  but  what  I  propose  to 
do  is  to  push  on  till  near  the  other  end  of  the  ravine.  There, 
we  will  make  the  same  plans  as  we  carried  out  here,  and 
when  the  enemy  advances,  will  have  another  surprise  in  store 
for  them.  But,  tell  me,  supposing  we  creep  along,  and  build 
a  barrier  farther  on,  can  the  tribesmen  climb  the  cliffs  and 
treat  us  in  turn  to  a  shower  of  rocks  ?  " 

"You  are  safe  from  that,  master.  It  is  true  that  there 
are  ledges  at  the  farther  end,  but  they  are  narrow  and  short, 
and  do  not  come  far  this  way.  Were  it  otherwise,  the  sheik 
would  already  have  sent  his  followers  to  occupy  them,  and  by 
now  we  should  have  a  storm  of  slugs  and  bullets  pattering 
upon  us.    No,  we  have  nothing  in  that  way  to  fear,  while  as 

152 


Against  Heavy  Odds 

for  your  ruse,  it  seems  to  your  servant  that  it  is  as  wise  as 
that  which  you  planned  before.  To  find  us  at  the  other  end, 
and  come  upon  us  long  before  they  expected  to  do  so,  will, 
indeed,  be  a  surprise,  and,  as  you  say,  that  is  the  only  way  in 
which  we  can  make  up  for  our  small  numbers." 

"  Then  we'll  move  ahead  at  once,"  exclaimed  Jim.  "  Call 
to  the  men  to  come  down,  and  warn  them  that  they  are  to 
keep  perfectly  silent.  Tell  them  what  we  propose  to  do,  and 
say  that  after  the  enemy  have  attacked  us,  they  are  to  remain 
in  their  new  positions  till  I  shout.  Then  they  are  to  retire 
to  this  post  again  at  their  fastest  pace,  and  lie  down  as 
before.  In  that  way  we  shall  have  an  excellent  chance 
of  withdrawing,   should   the  contest  prove  too  uneven   for 


us." 


Acting  upon  his  orders,  Ali  soon  had  all  the  native  fol- 
lowers gathered  at  the  bottom  of  the  ravine,  and  a  glance  at 
their  faces  as  they  were  outlined  in  the  rays  of  the  moon 
was  sufficient  to  show  that  they  were  to  be  relied  upon,  and 
that  the  success  which  had  already  attended  them  had  filled 
them  with  elation  and  determination  to  fight  to  the  end. 

"  Good !  "  exclaimed  Jim,  surveying  them  critically ;  "  they 
will  do.  Now  let  us  get  ahead,  and,  Ali,  come  with  me  in 
advance.  It  will  be  as  well  to  make  sure  that  none  are 
watching  us." 

Creeping  along  the  rugged  road  which  threaded  the  gorge, 
Jim  and  his  men  soon  reached  the  opposite  end.  Not  a  soul 
was  met,  and  though  they  lay  down  for  some  minutes,  not 
a  sound  could  be  heard.  Then  a  scout  was  sent  away  into  the 
plain,  and  while  he  was  gone,  the  remainder  took  up  their 
positions  much  as  before,  for  numerous  rocky  ledges  were  to 
be  found.  Half  an  hour  later  a  barrier  was  erected  across 
the  ravine,  and  behind  it  lay  Jim  and  five  of  his  men. 

153 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Hush !  "  exclaimed  Jim  suddenly.  "  I  hear  someone 
coming.    Perhaps  it  is  our  scout." 

A  second  later  the  bleat  of  a  sheep  was  heard,  and  before 
long  a  dusky  figure  rose  up  before  the  barrier. 

"  They  are  coming,"  said  the  man.  "  I  went  far  out  into 
the  plain,  and  came  upon  them  talking  and  shouting.  They 
were  drinking  the  wine  of  the  country,  which  is  made  by 
melting  the  fat  which  comes  from  the  tails  of  young  sheep, 
and  were  crying  upon  their  sheik  to  lead  them  forward.  As 
I  left  them  they  were  setting  their  faces  this  way,  with  the 
determination  to  slay  us  all,  for  they  are  angry,  and  their 
bitterness  is  great  at  their  defeat." 

"  Then  let  them  come,"  said  Jim  doggedly,  when  the  word< 
had  been  interpreted  to  him.  "  They  have  had  their  warning, 
and  this  time  I  will  not  spare  them  as  I  did  before." 

Standing  behind  the  wall  of  loose  stones,  he  waited  in 
silence  for  the  enemy,  and  within  a  few  minutes  saw  a  large 
force  of  men  streaming  across  the  moonlit  plain  on  their  way 
to  the  ravine.  Very  soon  they  were  close  at  hand,  and,, 
gathering  together,  came  walking  forward  without  a  thought 
of  guarding  against  surprise. 


154 


CHAPTEE  X 

FIGHTING   THE   TRIBESMEN 

Standing  in  the  shadow  cast  by  the  cliff  on  his  right,  Jim 
looked  out  upon  the  brightly  lit  plain,  and  watched  the  tribes- 
men coming  to  the  attack.  There  was  no  need  for  them  to 
remain  silent,  for  they  already  knew  that  their  design  of 
capturing  the  zareba  was  known;  and,  therefore,  they 
marched  forward,  shouting  loudly  to  one  another,  and  bran- 
dishing their  weapons  above  their  heads.  A  few,  carried 
away  by  their  excitement,  even  fired  their  guns,  as  if  already 
in  sight  of  their  opponents,  as  indeed  they  were,  if  only  they 
had  known  it.  Nearing  the  entrance  of  the  gorge,  they 
gathered  together,  and  then,  at  a  shout  from  their  leader, 
halted  for  a  minute. 

"  We  must  slay  the  infidels  this  time,"  he  called  out.  "  Let 
each  man  prepare  now  for  the  fight,  and  when  I  give  the 
word,  rush  forward  at  his  fastest  pace.  In  that  way  only  can 
we  hope  to  escape  the  shower  of  rocks  from  above.  Some  I 
have  already  told  off  to  climb  the  cliffs  and  pick  off  the 
defenders,  and  they  will  carry  out  their  commands  at  once. 
Are  you  ready  ?    Then,  in  Allah's  name,  forward !  " 

At  his  words  a  storm  of  cries  and  of  fierce  shouts  burst 
from  the  Somalis,  and  some  three  hundred  of  them  came 
rushing  towards  the  ravine,  eager  to  be  the  first  to  reach  the 
farther  end  and  come  to  close  quarters  with  the  men  who  had 
given  such  a  bitter  blow  to  their  pride.  Well  might  the  little 
band  of  defenders  tremble  at  the  sight  and  at  the  noise,  for 

155 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

on  the  former  occasion  the  tribesmen  had  advanced  in  com- 
parative silence,  and  their  defeat  and  subsequent  retreat  had 
been  swift  and  but  the  matter  of  a  few  minutes.  Now,  how- 
ever, it  was  a  different  matter.  Here  were  the  enemy  rushing 
upon  them  in  numbers  sufficient  to  overpower  them,  indeed, 
to  sweep  over  them  and  trample  them  underfoot  without 
feeling  their  presence.  For  the  moment  the  hopelessness  of 
their  case  appealed  to  Jim,  and  he  felt  as  though  all  were 
lost,  and  that  his  hopes  of  saving  his  father  from  slavery,  or 
worse,  were  destined  to  be  shattered  at  the  very  beginning. 
Then  a  sudden  determination  to  conquer  came  upon  him,  and 
he  turned  quietly  to  Ali. 

"  Call  gently  to  the  men,  and  tell  them  to  hold  their  fire 
and  keep  well  under  cover  until  they  hear  me  shout,"  he  said. 
"  I  shall  wait  till  the  enemy  is  within  fifty  yards,  so  that  our 
volleys  may  have  good  effect.  Let  them  know  also  that  they 
are  to  reload  at  once,  and  that  if  the  natives  do  not  retire 
after  the  first  volley,  they  are  to  open  upon  them  with  the 
magazine,  and  continue  firing  till  they  fly.  How  thankful  I 
am  that  we  took  the  precaution  two  days  ago  of  showing  them 
how  to  manage  their  rifles." 

Ali  at  once  carried  out  his  master's  orders,  first  telling 
those  who  lay  behind  the  barricade  of  stones,  and  then  going 
to  inform  the  remainder  who  had  been  posted  upon  the  ledges. 
That  done,  he  returned  to  Jim's  side,  and  stood  there  await- 
ing the  attack,  determined  to  help  him  as  far  as  in  him  lay, 
for  the  bravery  of  this  young  Englishman  appealed  to  him. 
Indeed,  he  was  lost  in  wonderment  to  find  this  lad,  who  had 
had  no  experience  of  this  sort  of  life,  and  who  had  had  no 
dealings  with  natives,  so  calmly  placing  himself  at  the  head 
of  his  followers,  and  leading  them  against  odds  which  would 
have  appalled  many  a  grown-up  man. 

156 


Fighting  the  Tribesmen 

By  now  the  tribesmen  were  within  eighty  yards  from  them, 
and,  led  by  their  sheik,  they  came  rushing  pell-mell  towards 
the  entrance  of  the  ravine,  expecting  to  find  it  open,  and 
never  dreaming  that  the  enemy  whom  they  were  bent  on 
attacking  already  occupied  it.  All  their  thoughts  and  all 
their  energies  were  occupied  in  the  race  to  reach  the  farther 
end,  each  one  striving  to  be  there  before  his  fellows,  to  strike 
one  of  the  few  blows  which  they  told  themselves  would  be 
necessary  to  conquer  these  impudent  people. 

"  Death  to  the  infidels !  "  shouted  the  sheik.  "  Fear  not 
their  bullets,  but  rush  upon  them  and  slay  them  ere  they  can 
lift  their  weapons  to  do  you  harm." 

Crowded  together  in  a  surging  mass,  his  followers  advanced 
towards  the  gorge,  shouting  defiance.  A  minute  more  and 
they  were  within  the  distance  which  Jim  had  mentioned, 
looking  as  though  nothing  could  stop  them,  so  great  was  their 
eagerness,  and  as  though  they  would  overrun  the  wall  of 
stones  and  scatter  it  to  right  and  left  in  their  impetu- 
osity. 

Clash !  Bang !  At  Jim's  order,  a  stream  of  flame  spurted 
from  the  ambush,  and  from  the  ledges  to  right  and  left,  as 
the  men  opened  fire,  sending  a  hail  of  bullets  into  the  centre 
of  the  mass.  At  such  a  short  range,  and  with  these  modern 
rifles  which  threw  bullets  of  the  smallest  calibre  and  of  the 
greatest  penetrating  force,  every  missile  flew  on  till  it  was 
stopped  by  the  sheer  weight  of  the  mass  before  it.  Not  one, 
but  many  men  were  struck  down  by  the  shower  of  lead,  and 
falling  headlong  upon  the  ground,  lay  there  sprawling  in  all 
directions  and  in  every  attitude,  a  trap  for  the  feet  of  those 
who  followed.  But  if  the  surprise  of  the  tribesmen  had  been 
great  during  their  first  attack,  when  they  discovered  that  the 
opening  from  the  ravine  had  been  closed,  it  was  now  more 

157 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

than  doubled.  They  were  dumfounded  at  the  trick  played 
upon  them,  and  as  the  rifles  flashed  out  vengefully,  they  came 
to  an  abrupt  halt,  as  if  by  mutual  consent,  and  stood  there, 
breathless,  their  weapons  still  held  above  their  heads,  staring 
into  the  darkness  beyond  them,  as  if  they  wished  to  penetrate 
into  the  depth  of  the  gorge  and  learn  what  was  happening. 
For  more  than  a  minute  they  paused,  while  the  defenders, 
taking  advantage  of  the  breathing-space,  opened  the  breeches 
of  their  weapons.  Shooting  out  the  empty  cartridges,  they 
replaced  them  with  fresh  ones,  and  closed  the  locks  with  a 
snap  and  bang  which  told,  as  plainly  as  if  they  had  men- 
tioned the  fact,  that  they,  too,  meant  business,  and  that 
nothing  but  the  absolute  defeat  of  their  enemies  would  satisfy 
them. 

"  They  give  back !  They  fly !  Death  to  the  dags !  "  shouted 
Ali  Kumar  excitedly,  at  this  moment,  noticing  that  a  few  of 
the  leaders  had  suddenly  turned,  and  were  endeavouring  to 
thrust  their  comrades  aside  and  find  a  means  of  escape. 
"  See,  master,  you  have  already  taught  them  the  lesson  of 
which  you  spoke." 

"  Wait !  "  answered  Jim  sharply.  "  It  is  only  those  who 
have  no  stomach  for  the  fight  who  are  returning.  The 
majority  will  fight  it  out;  of  that  I  am  sure.  Ah,  here  they 
come ! " 

As  he  spoke,  the  sheik,  whose  astonishment  had  at  first 
been  overpowering,  suddenly  recovered  his  wits,  and,  rendered 
desperate  by  the  position  in  which  he  found  himself,  and 
fearful  of  losing  credit  with  his  following,  suddenly  sprang 
to  the  front,  and,  turning  towards  his  men,  shouted  loud 
words  of  encouragement. 

"  Are  you  then  afraid  ?  "  he  cried.  "  Shall  these  few  infidel 
dogs  turn  us  from  our  purpose?    On!    Let  not  the  flash  of 

158 


Fighting  the  Tribesmen 

their  weapons  terrify  you  and  rob  you  of  your  bravery. 
Forward !    Death  to  the  enemy ! " 

Swinging  round  until  he  faced  the  gorge  once  more,  he 
levelled  his  gun  at  it,  and  pulled  the  trigger.  Then  he  tossed 
it  to  one  side,  knowing  that  it  would  be  useless  in  a  hand-to- 
hand  conflict,  and  drawing  a  long,  double-handed  sword  from 
his  waist  with  the  quickness  of  a  flash,  he  charged  at  the 
defenders. 

Taking  encouragement  from  his  words  and  action,  the 
tribesmen  at  once  sprang  forward  and  joined  him,  following 
close  on  his  heels,  and  setting  up  a  fierce  shout  which  awoke 
the  echoes,  and  almost  deafened  the  defenders.  "  Kill  them !  " 
they  shouted.    "  Slay  the  infidels !  " 

Pressing  forward  at  their  fastest  pace,  they  were  soon 
within  some  twenty  yards  of  the  barrier.  But  at  that 
moment  the  rifles  flashed  out  again,  and  a  storm  of  bullets 
was  poured  into  their  midst.  Throwing  out  the  catch  of  their 
magazines,  Jim's  followers  sent  missile  after  missile  into 
their  midst  without  cessation,  and,  pausing  only  to  replenish 
them,  opened  again,  rising  in  their  excitement  from  behind 
their  shelter,  so  as  to  obtain  a  better  aim. 

Three  times  did  the  tribesmen  win  their  way  to  within  a 
few  paces  of  the  wall  of  stones,  but  on  each  occasion  the  rifles 
of  the  defenders  beat  them  back.  Then  they  retired  sulkily, 
and,  taking  up  their  posts  behind  boulders  and  scraps  of 
cover,  which  existed  here  and  there,  open  a  stinging  fusillade 
upon  the  ravine. 

"  Order  the  men  to  lie  down  behind  the  rocks !  "  cried  Jim ; 
"  and  tell  them  that  they  are  to  reserve  their  shots  until  they 
are  certain  that  they  can  see  one  of  the  enemy.  They  are 
then  to  take  careful  aim,  and  pick  him  off  without  wasting  a 
cartridge.    Let  them  show  these  tribesmen  that  recklessness 

159 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

will  not  pay,  and  that  the  instant  one  rises  from  his  sheltei 
he  will  be  slain." 

Obedient  to  the  orders  which  were  repeated  to  them  by 
Ali  Kumar,  the  native  followers  lay  down  upon  their  ledges, 
and  kept  a  careful  watch  upon  the  tribesmen.  But  all  the 
while  each  held  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder,  and  closely  scruti- 
nizing the  moon-lit  plain  beyond,  endeavoured  to  discover  the 
whereabouts  of  lurking  tribesmen.  Then,  taking  careful  aim, 
and  waiting  till  the  man  he  covered  rose  to  empty  his 
weapon  in  the  direction  of  the  ravine,  he  pressed  his  trigger 
gently  and  sent  his  bullets  home.  Not  once,  but  many  times, 
did  the  defenders  pick  off  one  of  the  enemy,  and,  when  an 
hour  had  passed,  quite  twenty  had  paid  the  penalty  for  their 
boldness. 

"  Their  volleys  seem  to  be  getting  heavier,"  remarked  Jim, 
some  twenty  minutes  later,  when  a  perfect  storm  of  slugs 
whistled  and  shrieked  through  the  entrance  of  the  ravine, 
striking  against  the  rocks  on  either  side  to  glance  off  them 
and  ricochet  into  space  with  a  characteristic  note  to  which 
an  old  soldier  would  have  been  quite  accustomed.  Others 
struck  the  hastily  built  wall  of  stones,  and,  smashing  to 
pieces  there,  sent  a  shower  of  fragments  in  all  directions. 
Indeed,  so  heavy  and  well-aimed  was  the  tribesmen's  fusil- 
lade, that  a  number  of  the  small  garrison  were  wounded,  but 
only  to  a  slight  extent,  thanks  to  the  nature  of  the  missiles 
used. 

"  Yes,  it  is  certainly  becoming  heavier,  and  I  should  not 
be  surprised  if  they  made  another  rush  before  very  long. 
Sing  out  to  the  men  to  be  prepared,  Ali,  and  tell  them  that 
on  this  occasion  I  shall  not  give  the  command  to  open  fire 
until  they  are  considerably  closer,  for  they  will  have  had 
their  warning,  and  will  most  likely  come  on  in  open  order,  in 

1 60 


Fighting  the  Tribesmen 

which  case  we  could  not  hope  to  inflict  much  loss,  for  the 
light  is  uncertain,  and  makes  accurate  aiming  difficult.  But 
they  are  bound  to  come  together  within  a  few  yards  of  this, 
and  that  is  the  moment  we  must  select  for  blazing  into 
them." 

"  The  advice  is  good,"  was  Ali's  answer.  "  These  men 
who  have  so  rashly  attacked  us  are  burning  to  avenge  their 
defeat,  and  they  will  not  rest  until  they  have  slain  us,  or  we 
have  chastised  them  so  severely  that  they  recognize  the  hope- 
lessness of  their  cause.  Therefore,  if  ten,  if  twenty,  fell  to 
the  earth,  shot  down  by  our  bullets  as  they  rush  to  the  attack, 
the  remainder  would  not  pause,  would  not  hesitate  for  a 
moment,  but  would  come  on  at  their  fastest  pace.  It  is  a 
clever  plan,  therefore,  to  wait  until  they  are  within  easy 
range  and  packed  close  together,  for,  seeing  that  our  guns  are 
silent  when  they  had  expected  them  to  open  heavily  upon 
them,  they  will,  perchance,  imagine  that  we  have  retired,  and 
have  prepared  another  ambush  for  them.  I  should  advise, 
master,  that  you  order  the  men  at  once  to  lie  down,  for  they 
are  now  having  little  success,  as  the  tribesmen  have  been 
warned  by  the  death  of  their  comrades,  and  are  careful  not 
to  expose  themselves." 

"  You  can  do  as  you  suggest,  Ali,  and  I  feel  sure  that  our 
silence  will  make  them  wonder.  Perhaps  they  will  hold  a 
council  of  war,  and  then  come  on  warily,  imagining  that  we 
have  retreated  to  our  old  barricade.  Call  to  our  followers,  and 
explain  the  situation  to  them.  Then  let  them  know  that  they 
are  on  no  account  to  make  a  sound  until  I  give  the  signal  by 
firing  my  rifle." 

Ali  at  once  turned  to  the  natives,  who  had  so  gallantly 
supported  their  young  English  leader,  and  hastily  communi- 
cated Jim's  words  to  them.     Then  all  knelt,  or  lay  at  full 

161 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

length  behind  the  cover  each  one  had  selected,  and  remained 
there,  eyes  fixed  upon  the  plain  beyond  and  upon  the  figures 
of  the  tribesmen  which  flitted  hither  and  thither,  now 
rushing  from  one  thorn-bush  to  another,  and  now  creeping 
along  some  shallow  trench  cunningly  scooped  from  the  sand 
with  their  hands,  to  reach  a  site  which  seemed  more  favour- 
able. It  was  evident  that  all  had  taken  the  lesson  to  heart, 
and  had  felt  the  bullets  of  the  defenders,  for  up  to  a  little 
while  ago  they  had,  in  the  manner  of  Eastern  people,  reck- 
lessly and  defiantly  exposed  themselves,  standing  fully  erect 
to  discharge  their  weapons.  But  as  many  of  these  bold  men 
had  fallen,  shot  through  the  head  or  chest,  the  remainder 
began  to  learn  that  the  sight  of  a  shoulder  or  of  a  head 
peering  from  behind  a  boulder  was  the  signal  for  the  instant 
snap  of  a  rifle  and  the  swish  of  a  bullet  close  at  hand.  And 
now  their  crafty  sheik  had  had  time  to  recover  his  self-pos- 
session, and  from  his  position  in  the  centre  of  his  men,  sent 
messengers  crawling  to  right  and  left  with  instructions  for 
the  next  attack. 

"  I  fancy  I  can  see  something  moving  over  there,"  said 
Jim,  some  ten  minutes  later,  as  he  stood  behind  the  barricade, 
silently  looking  out  upon  the  plain.  "  Is  it  the  moonlight 
which  alters  objects  or  are  those  thorn-bushes  getting  slowly 
nearer  to  us?  Look!  There  is  a  large  one  out  there  in  the 
very  centre,  and  I  declare  that,  five  minutes  ago,  it  was 
twenty  paces  or  more  from  the  rock  close  beside  which  it 
now  stands." 

He  stared  anxiously  over  the  sandy  waste,  and  pointed 
with  his  finger  to  indicate  the  bush  to  which  he  wished  to 
draw  Ali's  attention,  quite  forgetting  that  he  himself,  to- 
gether with  all  the  defenders,  were  shrouded  in  the  inky 
darkness  with  which  the  entrance  of  the  ravine  was  clad.  But 

162 


Fighting  the  Tribesmen 

Ali's  eyes  were  as  sharp  as  a  ferret's,  and  long  residence 
amongst  the  natives  had  given  him  powers  of  sight  far  more 
acute  than  those  usually  possessed  by  more  civilized  people. 
A  glance  into  the  open  showed  him  the  large  bush,  and  in- 
stantly his  attention  became  riveted  upon  it. 

"  It  moves !  "  he  whispered  breathlessly.  "  See,  master,  a 
moment  ago  it  was  beside  the  rock  of  which  you  spoke,  and 
now  it  stands  in  front  of  it,  so  that  I  can  scarcely  see  its  out- 
line. And — look !  There  are  others  to  right  and  left  which 
are  creeping  forward.  It  is  a  ruse,  a  cunning  plan  to  get 
close  to  us  before  making  the  final  rush.  Each  one  of  those 
thorn-bushes  conceals  one  or  more  of  the  tribesmen,  all  with 
their  eyes  fixed  upon  the  central  bush,  and  all  slowly,  steadily, 
but  insensibly,  drawing  nearer.  Soon  they  will  have  ap- 
proached as  close  as  they  deem  possible,  and  then  casting  the 
cover  aside,  they  will  spring  to  their  feet,  and  come  rushing 
upon  us.    What  shall  we  do  ?  " 

For  the  first  time  since  the  tribesmen  had  attacked  Ali 
showed  some  symptoms  of  fear.  His  lips  trembled  involun- 
tarily as  he  asked  Jim  the  question,  and  unconsciously  he 
grasped  the  lad  by  the  arm. 

"What  shall  we  do,  Ali?  Why?  What  else  but  watch 
them  carefully,  and  send  our  volleys  swishing  into  them 
when  they  do  rise  for  their  attack?  I've  been  thinking  the 
matter  out,  and  I  feel  sure  that  the  plan  we  have  agreed  upon 
is  a  wise  one.  For  ten  minutes  not  a  shot  has  been  fired  from 
our  side,  and  though  they  have  certainly  been  listening  with 
all  their  ears,  they  have  not  heard  a  sound.  But  still  they 
creep  forward,  only  half  suspecting  at  present  that  we  have 
withdrawn.  Soon,  however,  they  will  begin  to  think  that, 
if  we  are  still  here,  we  are  blind,  for  we  could  not  fail  to 
have   discovered   the   moving   bushes.      That   will   set   them 

163 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

wondering,  and  it  will  never  cross  their  minds  that  we  have 
chosen  to  prepare  another  surprise  for  them.  They  will  be 
quite  sure  that  all  their  trouble  in  creeping  forward  in  this 
way  has  been  useless,  and  they  will  rise  to  their  feet  and 
advance  towards  the  ravine,  fully  expecting  to  find  us  gone. 
But  we  will  teach  them  to  be  more  sensible.  Now  is  our 
time  to  give  them  a  blow  from  which  they  will  never  recover. 
Cheer  up,  Ali !  Things  are  not  half  so  desperate  as  they 
seem." 

Jim's  words  had  the  desired  effect  upon  his  native  follower, 
for  the  latter  at  once  straightened  himself,  and,  standing 
erect  behind  the  barricade,  looked  out  upon  the  enemy  with 
far  more  determination  and  courage  than  he  had  shown 
before.  As  for  Jim,  though  he  leant  there  apparently  un- 
moved and  unconcerned,  he  was  far  from  feeling  as  sanguine 
as  he  had  expressed  himself,  for  there  was  no  doubt  that  he 
and  his  little  band  of  followers  were  in  an  extremely  pre- 
carious situation,  from  which  they  could  not  hope  to  escape 
without  severe  and  desperate  fighting.  Indeed,  when  he  con- 
sidered the  odds,  and  remembered  the  fierce  shouts  with 
which  the  enemy  had  previously  attacked,  he  was  bound  to 
confess  to  himself  that  the  position  was  almost  without  hope. 
Could  he  and  these  few  men,  well  armed  though  they  were, 
expect  for  the  third  time  to  beat  back  a  crew  of  fanatical 
tribesmen  who  were  bent  upon  slaying  them,  and  who,  taught 
to  think  that  they  were  the  only  ti'ue  believers,  considered 
that  death  earned  in  slaying  an  infidel  was  well  earned  in- 
deed? Against  such  men  effectual  resistance  was  difficult, 
and,  unless  reinforcements  were  at  hand,  or  great  success 
attained  at  the  beginning,  could  not  possibly  be  continued  for 
very  long. 

"  But  we'll  do  it,"  said  Jim   doggedly,  to  himself.     "  I've 

164 


Fighting  the  Tribesmen 

come  out  to  this  country  for  a  certain  purpose,  and  have  done 
no  harm  to  these  people.  Indeed,  I  was  prepared  to  be  the 
best  of  friends  with  them.  But  they  have  thought  fit  to 
attack  me  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  loot,  and  must  just  take 
the  consequences." 

With  that  his  lips  closed  firmly  together,  and,  lifting  his 
rifle  once  more,  he  felt  softly  at  the  lock  to  see  that  all  was 
in  readiness. 

"  Nothing  but  the  magazine  this  time,"  he  murmured. 
"  We  must  sweep  them  away,  and  mow  them  down  before 
they  can  get  within  reach  of  us." 

By  now  the  line  of  moving  bushes  had  drawn  sensibly 
nearer,  and  as  each  man  of  the  garrison  kept  his  eyes  fixed 
upon  them,  he  was  able  to  observe  figures  crawling  behind 
them.  To  those  of  Jim's  followers  who  lay  upon  the  ledges 
above,  the  whole  plan  was  now  quite  evident,  for  from  their 
elevated  position  they  could  easily  see  over  the  tops  of  the 
bushes,  and  could  even  count  the  number  of  the  enemy.  In 
such  circumstances  the  temptation  to  select  some  individual, 
to  raise  the  rifle  ever  so  quietly  to  the  shoulder,  and  gently  lo 
press  the  trigger  when  certain  of  the  aim,  was  great  indeed. 
Breathlessly,  with  fast-beating  hearts,  and  hands  glued  to  the 
stocks  of  their  weapons,  they  stared  out  from  the  darkness 
into  the  space  lit  up  by  the  rays  of  the  moon,  and  longed  for 
the  order  to  fire,  for  to  lie  motionless,  without  attempting  to 
defend  themselves  when  they  knew  that  men  were  there 
hungering  for  their  lives,  was  a  sore  trial  to  all  of  them. 
Impetuous  and  excitable  by  nature,  they  would,  had  they  been 
alone,  at  once  have  emptied  their  magazines,  and  then  either 
fled  down  the  ravine,  or  died  fighting  where  they  were.  But 
they  had  confidence  in  their  young  leader,  who  had  already 
shown  his  fitness  to  command  them,  and,  in  spite  of  their 

165 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

longing  to  begin  the  engagement,  remained  in  absolute 
silence. 

"  They  have  stopped !  "  whispered  Jim  some  few  minutes 
later,  noticing  that  the  line  of  thorn-bushes  had  come  to  a 
halt.  "Look!  There  is  a  man  creeping  from  the  right-hand 
side  towards  the  centre,  and  another  is  following  him.  They 
are  going  to  have  a  talk,  and  decide  upon  some  action." 

"  Others  are  coming  from  the  left,  master,"  added  Ali, 
catching  him  by  the  sleeve;  "and  now  someone  has  risen 
from  behind  the  bush  which  stands  in  the  middle.  It  is  the 
sheik,  for  I  know  him  by  his  great  height.  He  is  pointing 
towards  us,  and  talking  to  the  others." 

Eagerly  did  Jim  and  his  followers  watch  the  scene  going 
on  before  them ;  and  as  they  looked,  first  one,  and  then  all, 
of  the  leafy  screens  which  the  tribesmen  had  carried  before 
them  with  such  craft  and  trouble  were  tossed  aside  with 
disgust,  and  those  who  were  hiding  behind  them  rose  to  their 
feet,  giving  vent  to  exclamations  of  annoyance  and  anger. 

"  Once  more  these  dogs  have  made  fools  of  us !  "  cried  the 
sheik,  shaking  his  fist  towards  the  gorge.  "  First  they  poured 
their  bullets  into  us  from  the  farther  end,  and  then,  when  we 
advanced  for  the  second  time,  expecting  to  find  them  there, 
they  lay  hiding  like  foxes  close  in  front  of  us.  And  now, 
when  after  infinite  care  and  caution  we  have,  as  we  thought, 
come  within  such  easy  reach  of  them  that  a  few  moments 
would  have  seen  us  triumphant,  we  discover  that  they  are 
gone,  that  they  have  melted  into  the  air.  It  is  hard  to  fight 
with  such  men,  and  were  it  not  for  the  losses  we  have  suf- 
fered, I  should  counsel  that  we  retire." 

"  And  what  then  ? "  shouted  one  of  his  followers  indig- 
nantly. "  Do  you  ask  us  to  return  to  our  wives  and  children 
and  admit  defeat  ?    We  cannot  do  it.    They  would  not  receive 

166 


Fighting  the  Tribesmen 

us,  but  would  drive  us  out  with  laughter  and  jeers.  Think 
for  a  moment.  Our  trouble  may  not  be  thrown  away,  for 
seeing  that  victory  was  certain  to  fall  to  us,  it  may  well  be 
that  these  insolent  people  have  fled  for  their  lives.  Even 
now  they  may  be  returning  to  the  coast  as  quickly  as  their 
beasts  will  take  them,  leaving  their  camels  and  their  baggage 
to  us.  Be  not  down-hearted,  for  whether  they  have  fled  or 
remain  to  fight,  our  numbers  are  great,  and  make  success 
certain  in  the  end." 

The  man  who  had  spoken  strode  some  paces  to  the  front, 
and  turned  as  he  harangued  his  brethren.  Then  he  went  to 
the  sheik  and  spoke  quietly  in  his  ear. 

"  Abdullah  Rishmar  is  right,"  cried  the  latter,  after  a  few 
minutes.  "  Rather  than  despair  we  should  be  filled  with 
exultation,  for  it  is  evident  that  the  enemy  has  taken  flight. 
We  have  discussed  the  matter,  and  are  still  of  opinion  that 
the  best  plan  will  be  to  move  forward,  and  when  we  reach 
the  farther  end  of  the  ravine,  rush  down  upon  the  zareba. 
Then  if  we  find,  as  seems  probable,  that  the  infidel  has  fled, 
we  will  return  to  our  homes,  and  to-morrow,  at  the  first 
streak  of  daylight,  our  fleetest  camels  shall  convey  a  band  of 
fighting  men  in  pursuit.  We  know  the  lowlands  well,  and 
by  nightfall  should  come  up  with  those  whom  we  seek.  Then 
punishment  shall  be  meted  out  for  their  insolence.  As  for 
those  who  are  dead,  does  not  Allah  reward  the  true  believer 
who  falls  in  taking  part  in  such  a  cause  ? " 

At  the  old  man's  words  the  tribesmen  gave  vent  to  a 
loud  shout,  and,  gathering  together,  ran  swiftly  towards  the 
ravine. 

"  Another  minute  and  we  shall  let  them  have  it,"  said  Jim 
quietly.    "  Call  gently  to  all  the  men  to  make  ready." 

Raising  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder,  he  aimed  for  the  centre 

167 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

of  the  mass  of  struggling  humanity,  and  pressed  the  trigger. 
An  instant  later  a  line  of  flame  flashed  from  behind  the 
barricade  and  from  the  ledges  on  either  side.    So  rapidly  did 
the  men  open  and  close  the  breeches  of  their  weapons,  that 
the  volley  seemed  to  be  an  endless  one.     Here  and  there  it 
would  stop  for  a  few  seconds,  as  the  magazine  was  emptied, 
but  within  a  very  short  while  it  broke  out  again,  spurting 
into  the  darkness,  till  the  opening  of  the  ravine  was  almost 
as  light   as  the  plain   outside.     At   the  first   discharge  the 
tribesmen  had  stood  aghast,  thunderstruck  at  the  audacity  of 
their  enemies.    Then  rage  took  hold  of  them,  and  they  came 
on,  this  time  in  silence,  their  eyes  blazing  with  hate,  and 
their  minds  made  up  to  kill  their  opponents,  whatever  hap- 
pened.   Surging  forward,  in  spite  of  their  losses,  they  reached 
the  rocky  entrance  of  the  gorge,  and  became  almost  wedged. 
Then  a  few,  breaking  from  their  comrades,  dashed  at  the 
barricade,  and  at  once  joined  in  a  fierce  hand-to-hand  contest 
with  Jim  and  the  six  men  who  stood  beside  him.    To  the  last 
moment  Jim  kept  on  firing,  and  then,  when  there  was  no 
cartridge  left  in  his  weapon,  he  grasped  it  by  the  barrel,  and 
leaping,  in  his  excitement  upon  the  wall  of  stones,  dashed 
it  down  upon  the  heads  of  the  attackers.    Indeed,  he  seemed 
to  be  endowed  with  extraordinary  strength,  for  he  swung  his 
rifle  as  if  it  had  been  a  roll  of  paper,  and  brought  it  down 
with  a  force  which  could  not  be  broken.    Ali  Kumar  did  his 
utmost  to  support  his  young  leader,  while  the  five  remaining 
men,  tossing  their  guns  to  one  side,  drew  their  swords  and 
threw  themselves  upon  the  tribesmen  with  a  fury  equal  to 
their  own. 

And  all  the  while  the  men  who  were  stationed  on  the 
ledges  above  kept  up  a  terrible  fire,  sending  their  bullets 
swishing  into  the  huddled  masses  of  the  enemy.    But  in  spite 

168 


Fighting  the  Tribesmen 

of  all  the  efforts  of  the  garrison,  it  seemed  at  first  as  though 
the  enemy  would  prove  victorious,  for  nothing  seemed  able  to 
check  them.  In  another  place,  indeed,  they  would  have  been 
successful,  without  a  doubt,  but  here  their  very  numbers 
hampered  them,  and  prevented  more  than  a  few  from  closing 
with  the  defenders  at  one  moment.  Had  Jim  and  the  natives 
who  were  with  him  given  way,  the  tide  of  tribesmen  would 
have  surged  over  the  barricade,  and  not  a  man  would  have 
lived  to  tell  the  tale.  But  they  clung  to  their  position  with 
desperate  bravery,  and  finally  drove  their  assailants  back. 

"  Now  for  the  magazines !  "  shouted  Jim.  "  Fill  them  up, 
and  open  again  !  " 

Though  they  could  not  understand  a  word,  his  men  saw  his 
meaning  at  a  glance,  for  he  turned  upon  them,  and  flinging 
the  lock  of  his  rifle  open,  began  to  slip  cartridges  into  it. 
Then,  waiting  until  they,  too,  were  ready,  he  brought  his 
weapon  to  his  shoulder,  and  once  more  the  line  of  fire  spurted 
from  behind  the  barricade.  A  minute  later  Jim  sprang  over 
the  breastwork,  and  rushed  forward.  But  his  intention  was 
not  to  throw  himself  upon  the  assailants,  but  to  commit  an 
act  of  bravery;  for  suddenly  one  of  the  men  posted  upon  the 
ledge  upon  his  right  had  risen  to  aim  at  the  enemy,  and 
overbalancing  himself,  had  come  crashing  to  the  ground, 
where  he  lay  within  a  few  paces  of  the  wall  of  stones,  at  the 
mercy  of  the  enemy.  With  an  agile  leap  Jim  was  beside  him 
almost  as  soon  as  he  touched  the  ground,  and  catching  him 
by  the  arm,  dragged  him  towards  his  friends.  Then,  tossing 
his  weapon  to  Ali,  who  looked  on  speechless  with  astonish- 
ment, he  caught  the  native  up  in  his  arms,  and  scrambled 
back  amongst  his  comrades  with  him.  The  whole  had  been 
the  work  of  a  few  moments  only,  and  was  completed  before 
the  tribesmen  could  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  so 

169 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

suddenly  presented  to  them.  It  proved,  indeed,  a  turning- 
point  in  the  conflict,  for,  filled  with  exultation  at  their  young 
leader's  bravery*  the  defenders  set  up  a  shout  which  set  the 
rocks  ringing,  and  then  dashed  forward  to  the  attack,  Jim 
joining  them.  Filled  with  consternation  as  these  men,  who 
seemed  more  than  mortal,  closed  with  them,  the  tribesmen 
turned  about  with  one  accord,  and  bolted  into  the  plain, 
leaving  their  opponents  proud  masters  of  the  scene. 

"  And  now  let  us  see  who  is  hurt,"  said  Jim  breathlessly, 
sitting  upon  a  boulder  to  rest  for  a  few  moments  after  the 
fray.   "Line  the  men  up,  Ali,  and  tell  me  if  any  are  killed." 

"We  have  had  great  fortune,"  answered  the  native  head- 
man. "  I  have  already  been  amongst  the  following,  and  I 
find  that  two  only  are  killed,  the  one  being  Rigba  Hamah, 
who  fell  from  the  cliff  above,  and  the  second  Ali  Tumbi,  who 
fell  at  the  last  assault.  As  for  wounds,  we  all  have  one  or 
more  to  show,  but  they  are  nothing,  and  will  be  well  in  a 
week." 

"  Then  I'll  ask  you  to  tie  up  my  arm,"  said  Jim  quietly. 
"I  fancy  that  a  slug  has  ploughed  a  big  hole  through  it." 

Leading  his  master  into  the  light,  Ali  at  once  examined 
his  wound,  and  gave  a  cry  of  consternation  when  he  saw  the 
condition  of  the  arm,  for  it  was  red  with  blood,  while  a  stream 
was  gushing  from  a  ragged  hole  close  above  the  elbow. 

"  How  long  is  it  since  you  received  this  ? "  he  asked 
sharply.  "  It  must  have  been  some  time  ago,  for  you  have 
lost  much  blood.     Look  at  the  condition  of  your  clothing." 

"  A  slug  struck  me  as  the  tribesmen  advanced  for  the  last 
time,"  answered  Jim  faintly.  "  I  scarcely  felt  it  in  the 
excitement  of  the  moment,  but  it  smarts  now.  Give  me 
something  to  drink,  for  I  feel  dizzy." 

Running  across  to  the  cliff,  down  the  steep  slope  of  which 

170 


Fighting  the  Tribesmen 

a  tiny  stream  trickled,  Ali  quickly  procured  a  handful  of 
water,  and  at  once  poured  it  down  Jim's  throat. 

"  Ah,  that's  better ;  and  now  I  feel  less  likely  to  make  a 
fool  of  myself  and  faint,"  said  the  latter  gratefully.  "  Now 
tie  it  up  for  me  like  a  good  fellow,  and  let  us  see  what  our 
next  step  is  to  be." 

"  We  shall  return  to  the  zareba,  master,  and  spend  what 
is  left  of  the  night  in  peace,"  replied  Ali  with  assurance. 
"  The  tribesmen  are  thoroughly  beaten,  and  will  not  venture 
to  advance  again  until  we  have  withdrawn.  Then  they  will 
collect  their  dead  and  wounded,  and  when  the  morning  comes 
they  will  slink  away  into  the  plain  and  hide.  This  has  been 
an  evil  time  for  them,  and  they  will  remember  it  for  many  a 
day  to  come." 

"  I  think  you  are  right,"  Jim  agreed,  "  and  I  propose  that 
you  shout  out  to  them  that  we  will  not  interfere  with  them 
if  they  like  to  send  in  for  the  bodies.  Tell  them  that  we 
will  retire  to  the  pass  below  the  ravine,  and  that  they  are 
on  no  account  to  attempt  to  approach  us,  or  we  will  hunt 
them  up  to-morrow  and  burn  their  camp.  When  you  have 
done  that,  we  shall  get  back  to  the  zareba,  leaving  three  of 
our  men  as  sentries  until  they  can  be  relieved  by  those  who 
have  remained  behind." 

Accordingly,  when  Ali  had  seen  to  the  comfort  of  his 
leader,  he  strode  out  into  the  plain,  and  shouted  to  the 
tribesmen,  giving  them  Jim's  message.  Then  the  gallant 
band,  who  had  fought  so  well  in  the  gorge,  retired,  and 
within  an  hour  were  with  their  friends  again. 


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CHAPTER  XI 

A   MARCH   INTO   THE   DESERT 

"  And  so  you  have  been  behaving  like  a  young  hero?  "  said 
Tom  Dixon,  on  the  following  morning,  surveying  Jim 
as  he  rose  from  his  blanket.  "  You  were  tired  out,  so  I 
allowed  you  to  sleep  on  undisturbed  while  Ali  and  I  had  a 
long  chat.  Seriously,  though,  old  chap,  you  have  done  nobly, 
and  have  again  risen  high  in  the  estimation  of  our  following. 
After  this  they  will  do  anything  for  you,  and  will  be  just  as 
keen  as  you  are  to  bring  the  expedition  to  a  successful  issue. 
But  tell  me  about  the  fight.  I  can  only  get  a  garbled  account 
from  Ali,  who  tells  me  that  you  defeated  the  whole  tribe,  and 
caused  them  enormous  loss.  But  that  cannot  be  the  case. 
He  must  have  been  romancing,  though  I  am  bound  to  confess 
that  we  heard  very  heavy  firing,  which  might  easily  have 
accounted  for  large  numbers  of  killed  and  wounded." 

"  Ali  Kumar  was  quite  right,"  replied  Jim  quietly.  "  We 
did  defeat  the  whole  lot  of  the  tribesmen,  and  I  believe  they 
will  only  be  too  glad  to  leave  us  alone  in  the  future.  You 
see,  it  was  like  this " 

Then  Jim  set  to  work  to  give  his  companion  the  details, 
leaving  out  his  own  share  in  the  matter,  for  he  was  not  a 
boastful  lad. 

"  And  now  tell  me  how  things  went  with  you,"  he  con- 
tinued. "  I  was  so  done  up  when  we  got  back  to  the  zareba 
last  night  that  I  felt  I  could  not  listen.    It  was  sufficient  for 

172 


A  March  into  the  Desert 

me  to  find  that  you  were  safe,  and  that  you  had  lost  none  of 
the  beasts  or  baggage." 

"  We  did  not  even  see  an  enemy,"  said  Tom  with  disgust. 
"  Though  we  kept  a  very  bright  lookout,  and  even  on  one 
occasion  blazed  into  the  darkness,  thinking  that  the  sheik 
and  his  men  were  upon  us,  not  a  soul  really  came  near  the 
place.  But  we  heard  the  firing  from  the  gorge,  and  it  made 
me  feel  so  anxious  that  I  very  nearly  came  up  to  join  you. 
If  it  hadn't  been  that  our  safety  depends  to  such  an  extent 
upon  our  camels  and  food-supply,  I  should  certainly  have 
done  so,  and  you  would  not  have  blamed  me,  for  it  is  clear 
that  you  had  a  desperate  time  of  it.  However,  all's  well  that 
ends  well.  And  now  for  our  next  move.  Will  you  go  ahead, 
or  will  you  retire  for  a  time,  till  this  fight  has  blown  over  ?  " 

"  I  shall  push  on  without  a  pause,"  answered  Jim.  "  You 
see,  news  of  this  row  is  certain  to  fly  to  the  Mullah's  ears, 
and  if  we  were  to  retire  he  would  prevent  any  attempt  in  the 
future,  by  setting  a  watch  at  the  ravine,  and  forbidding  us  to 
pass  through.  Then  we  should  have  to  wait  till  the  troops 
come  this  way,  and  by  then  anything  may  have  happened  to 
father.  No,  I  mean  to  go  right  on,  and  my  first  act  will  be 
to  ride  to  the  camp  from  which  these  tribesmen  came,  and 
order  them  to  give  me  any  news  they  may  have.  Then  I  shall 
tell  them  that  they  are  to  keep  quiet  about  their  fight  with  us, 
or  we  will  punish  them  on  our  return.  Of  course  it  will  be  a 
piece  of  bounce  on  my  part,  but  now  is  the  time  to  practise 
that  sort  of  thing." 

"  You  are  right  not  to  allow  this  quarrel  to  frighten  you," 
answered  Tom  heartily,  "  and  I  think  it  quite  likely  that  you 
may  get  important  information  from  our  enemies.  Then, 
too,  now  is  the  time  to  take  advantage  of  your  victory.  While 
the  tribesmen  are  humbled,  you  will  get  more  from  them  than, 

173 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

at  any  other  time,  for  they  will  hope  to  allay  your  anger  by 
helping  you.  But  we  shall  never  be  able  to  trust  them,  and 
from  this  moment  our  precautions  against  surprise  at  night 
must  be  doubled." 

Long  did  Jim  and  his  friend  talk  the  matter  over,  and 
then  Tom  went  to  one  of  the  bales  which  was  carried  upon 
the  back  of  a  camel,  and,  opening  it,  produced  a  bundle  of 
surgical  dressings  and  a  few  instruments.  With  these  and  a 
tin  pannikin  of  cool  water  he  proceeded  to  dress  Jim's 
wound,  and  ended  by  placing  the  arm  in  a  sling. 

"  There,"  he  said,  when  he  had  finished,  "  you  bore  it  like 
a  Briton,  and  will  soon  be  well.  Luckily  it  is  only  a  flesh- 
wound.  Had  the  slug  struck  the  bone  on  its  way  through, 
it  might  have  been  a  case  of  amputation,  and  then  where 
would  have  been  your  expedition?  And  now,  if  you  feel 
capable  of  the  exertion,  we  shall  break  up  the  camp  and  get 
through  the  pass.  Best  do  it  now,  before  the  sheik  and  his 
following  pluck  up  their  courage  again." 

Accordingly,  the  zareba  was  soon  astir,  and  the  men 
bustling  about  their  animals.  Then,  with  a  dozen  of  the  best 
shots  riding  well  in  advance,  and  the  remainder  hovering  in 
rear  and  on  the  flanks,  the  column  set  out  for  the  pass,  and 
went  trailing  up  the  steep  slope  of  the  hill.  In  due  time  they 
entered  the  ravine.  Here  they  found  but  few  traces  of  the 
conflict,  for  the  tribesmen  had  taken  advantage  of  the  per- 
mission extended  to  them,  and  had  removed  their  dead. 

An  hour  later  they  were  in  the  plain,  and  that  night  they 
halted  at  some  wells  distant  about  ten  miles.  Here  Ali 
Kumar  came  to  Jim  to  announce  that  a  messenger  wished  to 
have  speech  with  him. 

"  He  comes  from  the  tribe  who  suffered  defeat  at  our 
hands,"  he  said,  "  and  has  news  of  importance." 

174 


A  March  into  the  Desert 

"  Bring  him  along,  then,"  said  Jim,  "  and  tell  off  a  man 
to  keep  an  eye  upon  him.    He  might  become  unpleasant." 

A  few  moments  later  Ali  ushered  forward  a  native,  whose 
head-gear  proclaimed  him  to  be  one  of  the  tribe  who  had 
received  such  a  defeat  on  the  previous  evening.  Coming  up 
to  Jim,  he  salaamed  deeply  and  most  humbly,  and  even 
trembled,  so  great  was  his  fear. 

"  What  do  you  want  ?  "  asked  Jim  sharply,  Tom  interpret- 
ing his  words.  "  Have  you  been  told  to  ask  for  mercy  from 
us?" 

"  That  is  the  case,"  answered  the  man.  "  The  sheik  bade 
me  come  hither  and  say  that  he  regrets  deeply  that  his  men 
attacked  you,  and  that  they  would  never  have  done  so  had  it 
not  been  for  the  words  of  one  who  was  in  your  service,  and 
who  has  now  fled.  He  asks  for  forgiveness,  and  will  promise 
never  to  molest  you  again." 

"  That  is  not  enough,"  replied  Jim  sternly.  "  Why  should 
we  not  march  on  his  camp  and  loot  it  ? " 

"  We  are  in  your  hands,"  the  man  said  trembling ;  "  but 
if  you  will  overlook  our  fault,  we  shall  give  you  news  which 
will  help  you." 

"What  is  it,  then?" 

<;  The  man  who  betrayed  you  told  us  that  you  were  in  search 
of  a  white  prisoner  of  the  Mullah's.  I  am  charged  to  tell  you 
that  he  is  now  some  thirty  miles  to  the  south  of  the  Hoad, 
and  that  if  you  press  through,  you  may  rescue  him,  for  many 
of  the  fighting  men  are  away." 

"  Can  we  trust  the  fellow?  "  asked  Jim  doubtfully,  turning 
to  Tom.  "  Perhaps  it  is  a  trap,  into  which  they  hope  we 
shall  walk  blindly." 

"  I  hardly  think  so,  old  chap.  You  have  given  these 
beggars  such  a  licking  that  they  are  in  terror  of  their  lives, 

175 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

and  I  believe  they  are  telling  you  the  truth.  I  should  in- 
struct him  to  say  to  the  sheik  that  you  will  harm  him  no 
further  at  present,  but  that  if  you  find  he  has  been  playing 
with  you,  you  will  punish  him  on  your  return." 

"  That  is  good  advice,  Tom,  and  I'll  leave  it  to  you  to  speak 
to  him.  Then  let  us  talk  over  the  preparations  to  be  made 
before  entering  upon  this  desert  march." 

Accordingly,  Tom  repeated  his  words  to  the  tribesman, 
warning  him  in  stern  tones  that  the  slightest  treachery  would 
be  severely  punished. 

"  Now  return  to  your  sheik,"  he  continued,  "  and  be  careful 
that  in  future  you  remain  peaceful,  for  the  British  troops 
will  be  this  way  before  very  long,  and  will  treat  you  far 
more  severely  than  we  have  done,  unless  you  can  prove  that 
you  are  friendly." 

With  many  salaams  and  repeated  thanks,  the  man  with- 
drew; and  then  Tom  and  Jim  called  Ali  Kumar  to  join  them 
in  consultation. 

"  The  question  of  water  seems  to  me  to  be  the  most  im- 
portant," said  Jim,  opening  the  conversation.  "  How  are 
we  to  contrive  to  carry  sufficient  to  last  for  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles?" 

"  We'll  ask  Ali,"  replied  Tom.  "  You  see,  I've  never  been 
in  this  part  before,  and,  though  I  have  done  a  deal  of  spying 
in  Aden,  I've  never  joined  in  one  of  these  expeditions.  This 
is,  in  fact,  all  strange  to  me." 

"  I  have  crossed  the  Hoad  on  several  occasions,  master," 
interposed  Ali,  "  and  can  give  you  my  help.  Once  beyond 
the  desert,  I  can  do  nothing,  for  I  shall  then  be  in  strange 
country.  Indeed,  no  caravan  has  ever  penetrated  so  far,  for 
the  land  beyond  belongs  to  the  Mullah.  As  to  water,  you 
have  tanks  with  you,  which  should  prove  sufficient.    But  a 

176 


A  March  into  the  Desert 

guard  must  be  set  upon  their  contents,  and  the  allowance  for 
man  and  beast  strictly  dealt  out.  Again,  five  days  is  said  to 
be  the  shortest  time  in  which  the  march  can  be  accomplished, 
but  I  think  that  we  shall  do  well  to  press  on  more  hastily. 
The  camels  are  all  in  the  best  of  condition,  and  can  well  stand 
the  fatigue.  Then  again,  the  following  and  baggage  are  com- 
paratively small,  so  that  our  movements  should  be  cor- 
respondingly rapid.  When  we  reach  the  other  side,  we  can 
rest  for  a  time,  while  we  send  out  scouts  to  gather  news." 

"  Excellent !  "  exclaimed  Jim.  "  And  now,  when  should 
we  start  ? " 

"  I  vote  that  we  march  on  at  once  to  the  very  edge  of  the 
desert,"  said  Tom.  "  If  we  find  wells  there,  we  can  fill  our 
tanks,  and  get  a  good  start." 

"  Bohotle  is  an  advance  post  held  by  troops  in  the  pay  of 
the  Sirkal,"  remarked  Ali  Kumar,  "  and  it  is  situated  on  the 
fringe  of  the  sandy  waste  which  stretches  into  the  interior 
up  to  the  pasture  country  ruled  over  by  the  Mullah.  There  is 
water  in  plenty  there,  and  also  at  a  spot  directly  before  us. 
I  therefore  counsel  you  to  keep  straight  on.  Seven  hours' 
marching  will  bring  you  to  the  place  of  which  I  speak,  and 
then  all  preparations  can  be  made  for  the  crossing." 

Following  the  advice  given  by  the  native  headman,  Jim  at 
once  gave  orders  for  the  camp  to  be  broken  up,  and  by  night- 
fall had  the  satisfaction  of  finding  himself  amidst  a  clump  of 
palms  and  mimosa,  which  marked  the  position  of  the  wells, 
and  from  which  one  looked  out  directly  upon  a  wide-spread- 
ing sea  of  sand,  a  dreary  waste,  which  went  on  and  on  to  the 
horizon  without  a  break,  and  without  so  much  as  a  patch  of 
green  to  relieve  it.  And  here,  as  the  caravan  halted,  and 
the  men  began  to  make  a  zareba,  Jim  had  the  pleasure  of 
watching  the  most  gorgeous  sunset  he  had  ever  seen. 

177 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"It  is  a  wonderful  sight,"  said  Tom,  as  he  stood  by  his 
side.  "  It  seems  as  if  these  parts,  where  nature  appears  to 
come  to  a  sudden  end,  were  given  something  out  of  the  way 
to  make  up  for  their  loss;  for  the  sun  rises  and  falls  over 
the  desert  with  such  beautiful  effect,  that  people  who  have 
travelled  the  world  over  declare  it  is  the  finest  sight  of  all. 
Then,  too,  mirages  are  not  infrequent,  though  what  is  their 
cause  is  more  than  I  can  say.  But  come  along.  Watching 
that  beautiful  sky  does  not  relieve  one's  hunger,  and  I  can 
tell  you  I  am  sharp  set." 

Returning  to  their  camp,  Jim  and  his  friend  were  soon 
seated  in  front  of  a  fire  of  thorn-wood,  which  blazed  and 
crackled  brightly,  sending  out  a  heat  which  was  grateful,  for 
the  nights  at  this  season  of  the  year  were  decidedly  cold.  A 
native  follower  then  appeared  with  a  pan  and  some  fat,  and 
ten  minutes  later  Jim  was  busily  frying  some  juicy  slices  of 
meat  cut  from  a  deer  which  Tom  had  shot  during  the  day. 
When  they  were  finished  to  his  satisfaction,  Jim  removed 
them  to  a  plate  by  means  of  a  fork,  which,  with  a  spoon  and 
a  knife,  he  carried  in  the  form  of  an  ordinary  pocket-knife, 
as  every  sensible  campaigner  does.  Meanwhile  Tom  had  had 
the  tea  in  hand,  and  before  many  minutes  had  passed  both 
were  seated  at  an  excellent  repast,  which  they  enjoyed  all  the 
more  for  the  fact  that  it  was  partaken  of  while  squatting 
upon  the  bare  earth,  and  from  dishes  and  mugs  of  common 
enamelled  tin. 

"  And  now  for  bed,"  said  Jim,  two  hours  later,  when  Tom 
had  finished  his  smoke  and  they  had  had  a  chat.  "  Let  us 
hope  for  a  fine  day,  and  a  good  start." 

"  And  luck  on  the  other  side,  old  chap.  Good-night.  It's 
my  first  watch.  Turn  in  now,  and  I'll  wake  you  in  good 
time." 

178 


A  March  into  the  Desert 

Soon  the  camp  was  hushed  in  sleep,  save  for  the  crisp,  low 
sound  of  a  sandalled  foot  plodding  up  and  down  upon  the 
sand.  A  few  hours  later  the  sentries  were  relieved,  and  Jim 
took  his  turn,  it  having  been  arranged  that  he  and  Tom, 
together  with  Ali  Kumar,  should  help  one  another  to  keep  an 
eye  upon  their  following  during  the  hours  of  darkness. 

Early  on  the  following  day  the  camp  was  astir,  and  an 
hour  later  they  set  out  upon  their  long  and  hazardous  march. 
Four  days  of  hot  and  tiring  work  took  them  in  safety  to  the 
farther  side,  where,  worn  out  with  their  exertions,  they 
formed  a  zareba,  and  called  a  long  halt,  to  rest  both  animals 
and  men.  And  now  began  the  most  difficult  and  dangerous 
part  of  Jim's  undertaking. 

"  Thirty  miles  from  here  the  Mullah  and  his  men  are  said 
to  be  encamped,"  he  remarked  thoughtfully  to  Tom,  as  the 
two  stood  looking  towards  the  interior  of  the  fertile  country 
which  they  had  just  reached.  "  I  keep  wondering  whether  we 
should  push  straight  on,  or  remain  where  we  are.  I  mean, 
whether  we  should  post  our  men  at  this  spot  and  go  forward 
alone." 

"  But  surely  you  will  want  every  follower,"  cried  Tom. 
"  Careful  as  we  have  been  to  keep  our  movements  a  secret,  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  expect  that  the  Mullah  will  remain 
for  long  in  ignorance.  Then,  as  soon  as  he  hears  of  us,  out 
will  come  his  cut-throats  to  visit  us  and  eat  up  the  whole 
convoy,  if  they  are  able." 

"  Exactly  so,  Tom,  and  it  is  because  his  men  will  come, 
and  in  large  numbers,  too,  that  I  suggest  that  we  should  find 
a  spot  for  our  followers,  and  make  a  raid  into  the  country 
alone.  If  we  were  discovered,  we  should  make  a  bolt  for  it, 
and  trust  to  rejoin  our  camp  before  we  were  caught.  On  the 
other  hand,  suppose  we  push  on  in  a  body.    Unless  we  have 

179 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

the  fortune  to  come  upon  another  spot  like  the  ravine,  certain 
defeat  will  stare  us  in  the  face,  for  the  Mullah  has  thousands 
of  men." 

"  What  a  long-headed  beggar  you  are  to  be  sure !  "  ex- 
claimed Tom,  smacking  him  heartily  upon  the  back.  "  You 
seem  to  get  to  the  bottom  of  all  these  difficulties  at  once,  and 
what  you  have  said  is,  I  feel  sure,  as  wise  a  course  as  we  could 
carry  out.  But  what  about  a  spot  in  which  to  make  the 
camp  ?  It  must  be  a  strong  one,  or  it  will  be  useless.  Again, 
it  must  be  within  reasonable  distance,  for  otherwise  we  should 
never  reach  it." 

"  The  difficulty  is  great,  but  it  is  not  beyond  our  powers," 
said  a  voice  at  his  elbow,  as  Ali  Kumar  joined  them.  "I 
have  already  told  you  that  I  have  once  before  crossed  the 
Hoad,  but  that  I  have  never  penetrated  the  country  beyond. 
I  will  now  explain  for  what  reason.  It  happened  that  I,  with 
my  father  and  my  father's  tribe,  had  suffered  much  at  the 
hands  of  some  neighbours  of  ours,  who  were  far  stronger  than 
we  \\(  re.  For  years  they  had  harried  our  flocks,  slain  our  men, 
and  carried  off  the  women  and  children.  So  that  at  last  we 
decided  to  migrate  and  to  place  the  desert  between  ourselves 
and  our  enemies.  Carefully  did  we  make  our  preparations, 
and  then  we  set  out  upon  the  journey.  Alas,  master,  it  proved 
disastrous,  for  our  beasts  were  in  poor  condition,  and  few  in 
numbers.  Then  fortune  was  against  us,  for  we  stumbled  into 
a  storm  of  sand,  which  lasted  for  a  day,  and  left  us  well-nigh 
dead.  But  we  struggled  on,  hoping  for  the  best.  One  by 
one  our  camels  fell  by  the  way,  and  soon  men,  too,  joined 
them.  At  last,  to  make  our  troubles  more  than  we  could 
bear,  the  beasts,  in  their  mad  desire  for  water,  tore  open  the 
sacks  of  goat-skin  in  which  we  carried  our  precious  supply, 
and  let  the  contents  rush  out  upon  the  sand,  where  it  dis- 

180 


A  March  into  the  Desert 

appeared  at  once,  licked  up  by  the  parched  land.  From  that 
moment  all  order  was  lost,  and  within  a  very  few  hours  we 
had  scattered,  some  in  their  madness  returning,  and  all  wan- 
dering from  their  path,  their  tongues  lolling  from  their 
blackened  lips,  and  their  limbs  staggering  beneath  them. 

"  With  three  of  my  comrades  I  struggled  forward  till  I 
saw  a  patch  of  green  before  me.  At  first  I  thought  that  it  was 
a  mirage,  risen  to  cheat  me  into  hope.  But  it  was  real — a 
glorious  sight ! — and,  together  with  those  who  were  with  me,  I 
ran  towards  it.  There  was  water  there,  master,  and  food,  and 
when,  after  resting,  we  searched  the  place,  we  found  that  it 
bore  no  traces  of  a  camp,  and  that  in  all  probability  none  but 
wild  beasts  had  ever  visited  it.  Three  days  later  we  pushed 
on  to  the  fertile  land  of  the  Mullah,  but  there  my  comrades 
were  killed,  I  alone  escaping.  In  fear  and  terror  I  returned 
to  the  oasis,  and  from  there  Allah  helped  me  to  trudge  across 
the  desert  and  reach  that  portion  of  the  land  which  skirts 
the  sea.  My  journeying  may  be  of  use  to  you  now,  master, 
for  the  green  spot  of  which  I  speak  lies  some  ten  miles  only 
within  the  Hoad,  and  it  is  wide  enough  to  give  grazing  to 
all  your  beasts.  Of  food  you  have  enough  in  store  of  the  kind 
that  is  sealed  in  tins,  and  therefore  cannot  fear  starvation, 
while  of  water  there  is  abundance.  Moreover,  it  occurs  to 
me  that  a  strong  zareba  might  be  made  in  the  heart  of  the 
trees,  for  there  is  wood  to  be  had,  and  do  we  not  carry  ample 
wire  with  hooks  upon  it  to  surround  the  whole  place  ?  " 

"  It  sounds  the  very  thing,"  cried  Jim  excitedly,  having 
listened  with  great  interest  to  all  that  Ali  had  to  say.  "  If 
it  is  so  close  to  the  edge  of  the  Mullah's  country,  it  should 
prove  an  excellent  base  from  which  to  set  out  on  small  spying 
expeditions.  Then,  if  we  do  as  you  suggest,  we  ought  to 
make  it  so  strong  that  we  could  safely  retreat  to  it  when 

181 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

things  become  warm,  and  even  defy  the  Mullah  and  his  men. 
Yes,  it  is  a  good  thing,  I  am  sure,  and  I  vote  that  we  make 
for  it  at  once." 

Having  discussed  the  matter  with  Tom — for,  though 
nominally  in  charge  of  the  expedition,  he  never  neglected  to 
call  upon  his  friend  for  help — Jim  decided  to  wait  till  the 
following  morning,  and  then  to  raise  the  camp  and  search  for 
the  oasis  of  which  Ali  had  spoken.  Accordingly,  at  the  first 
sign  of  dawn,  all  were  afoot  and  marching  to  the  west,  in 
which  direction  the  wells  were  situated.  At  length  they 
sighted  a  grove  of  shady  trees,  and  hailed  it  with  a  shout  of 
joy.  An  hour  later  their  zareba  was  formed,  and  Jim  and 
his  friend  were  closely  inspecting  the  surroundings. 

"  It  will  be  even  more  suitable  than  I  had  hoped,"  said 
Jim  in  delight.  "  Look  at  those  trees,  and  see  how  they  will 
help  us." 

"  Yes — er — well,  I  confess  that  I  cannot  follow  you,"  was 
the  puzzled  response.  "  We  might  hide  in  the  trees — per- 
haps that's  what  you  mean  ? " 

"  Partly,  Tom ;  but  I  thought  that  they  were  placed  in  just 
the  position  to  be  of  service  to  us.  Look  at  the  outside  row. 
By  cutting  down  a  few  we  could  have  a  square  formed  by  the 
trunks,  and  giving  a  large  clearing  in  the  centre  where  the 
water  is.  Then  we  have  only  to  connect  the  trees  by  means 
of  barbed  wire,  and  we  have  a  fort  into  which  the  Mullah's 
men  would  find  it  a  job  to  rush.  Once  our  entanglement 
was  completed,  we  could  rig  up  some  kind  of  a  blockhouse 
inside,  so  that  we  should  have  plenty  of  cover,  while  as  for 
the  camels  and  horses,  they  of  course  must  take  their  chance, 
though  the  long  range  of  our  rifles  should  make  it  possible  to 
keep  the  enemy  at  a  respectful  distance,  from  which  their  old 
muzzle-loaders  could  not  reach  us." 

182 


A  March  into  the  Desert 

"  You're  a  wonder !  "  gasped  Tom.  "  It  seems  to  me  that 
you  are  a  born  soldier." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  was  the  modest  reply.  "  But,  you  see, 
my  father  was  always  telling  me  about  the  fights  in  which  he 
had  taken  part.  They  were  usually  against  natives,  in  some 
part  of  this  continent,  and  there  was  always  a  ruse  of  this 
sort,  some  dodge  by  which  he  and  his  men  held  the  larger 
numbers  of  the  enemy  at  bay.  That's  how  it  is  that  I  have 
an  eye  which  seems  to  take  in  the  possibilities  of  a  place, 
and  I  put  it  down  to  my  father  and  his  yarns  that  I  was 
able  to  make  defence  practicable  away  back  at  the  ravine. 
But,  seriously,  what  do  you  think  of  the  dodge  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  best  thing  you  have  yet  thought  out,  Jim,  and 
should  prove  of  enormous  advantage  to  us ;  for,  knowing  that 
we  have  a  haven  to  retreat  to,  we  shall  go  about  our  work  of 
tracking  the  Mullah  far  more  fearlessly,  though  I  tell  you 
that,  in  any  case,  it  is  going  to  be  a  risky  game." 

Pacing  backwards  and  forwards  amongst  the  trees,  Jim 
and  his  companion  soon  marked  out  the  site  of  their  fort. 
Then  they  called  for  an  axe,  and  cut  a  wide  slit  at  the  base 
of  each  trunk  which  they  had  decided  was  to  be  removed, 
giving  orders  that  the  men  were  to  set  to  at  the  work  on  the 
following  morning.  That  done,  they  went  well  beyond  the 
trees,  but  finding  nothing  but  a  weary  sandy  waste,  and  no 
cover  that  could  be  of  the  slightest  use  to  an  enemy,  they 
returned  to  the  zareba,  and  selected  a  site  close  beside  the 
well,  and  almost  in  the  centre  of  the  square  which  they  had 
marked  off  for  the  fort.  On  this  a  rough  circle  was  drawn, 
and  calling  Ali  to  his  side,  Jim  gave  directions  that  the 
trees,  when  felled  on  the  morrow,  were  to  be  dragged  there, 
and  arranged  to  as  to  form  a  blockhouse. 

"  We  want  a  raised  platform,"  he  said,  as  he  walked  over 

183 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

the  spot  once  more,  and  deepened  the  line  in  the  earth  by 
means  of  his  toe.  "  If  we  set  our  fellows  to  throw  up  a 
mound  round  the  edge  of  this  circle,  and  then  pile  the  logs 
there,  morticing  them  roughly  together,  we  shall  have  a  fine 
blockhouse,  from  which  we  shall  be  able  to  command  the 
surrounding  desert  for  many  yards.  I  reckon  that  our  rifles 
carry  a  good  mile,  and  very  likely  even  more  than  that;  so 
that  in  the  daytime  we  can  make  it  impossible  for  the  enemy 
to  approach,  unless  in  overwhelming  numbers.  If  they  come 
in  a  huge  army,  we  shall  lie  behind  our  cover  and  blaze  at 
them  from  a  position  of  safety,  and  as  we  have  been  careful 
to  bring  a  large  store  of  ammunition,  we  need  have  no  fears 
that  it  will  become  suddenly  expended.  I  should  think,  too, 
that  a  watch-tower  of  some  sort  would  be  useful." 

"  Then  why  not  make  one  of  these  trees  serve  the  pur- 
pose?" asked  Tom,  staring  aloft  at  the  green  top  of  a  palm 
which  overhung  the  party.  "  It  happens  to  occupy  the  very 
centre  of  your  circle,  and  can  easily  be  pegged  so  as  to  make 
ascent  possible." 

"  A  grand  idea !  "  exclaimed  Jim,  "  and  that,  too,  shall  be 
carried  out.  But  now  about  the  camels  and  ponies.  We 
want  a  zareba  into  which  we  can  drive  them  at  night,  and  in 
case  of  attack." 

"  Then  do  the  same  for  them  as  for  ourselves,"  said  Tom. 
"  Look  here,  old  boy,  you  ought  to  take  particular  pains  to 
keep  them  well  away  from  the  water,  or  our  supply  may  be 
fouled  and  rendered  unfit  for  our  consumption.  Why  not 
dig  out  a  place  for  them,  throwing  the  earth  removed  into  a 
wall,  which  will  protect  them  ?  Then,  if  you  place  the  zareba 
over  there,  a  trench  from  the  wells  will  carry  the  water  to 
them,  so  that  their  wants  can  be  supplied." 

Tom  pointed  to   a  spot  within  thirty  yards,   where   the 

184 


A  March  into  the  Desert 

ground  fell  slightly,  and  where  numerous  big  palms  grew, 
offering  shade  for  the  animals. 

"It  would  be  an  easy  matter  to  do  as  suggested,"  inter- 
posed Ali  Kumar,  interrupting  his  masters.  "  I  have  seen 
such  an  arrangement  before,  and  will  see  that  the  trench  is 
dug,  and  a  small  wooden  gate  put  at  the  head,  so  that  a 
certain  quantity  can  be  allowed  to  run  through  at  any  time. 
Otherwise  you  would  have  the  zareba  filled  with  water,  and 
the  animals  would  quickly  die.  As  to  our  being  able  to 
do  all  this,  I  can  promise  that  the  end  of  the  week  shall  see 
the  work  completed,  for  the  men  will  have  little  to  do  now 
that  we  are  in  camp,  and  when  the  beasts  are  driven  out 
to  graze,  and  sentries  posted,  the  others  will  have  their 
hours  free,  and  will  devote  them  to  getting  the  camp  into 
a  state  of  defence." 

"  And  while  they  are  at  work  we  shall  make  excursions 
into  the  Mullah's  country,"  remarked  Jim.  "  We'll  just 
wait  until  the  wire  is  stretched  and  the  blockhouse  begun, 
for  it  would  not  do  to  have  the  enemy  coming  down  upon  us 
before  we  were  ready.  Then  we'll  take  the  best  camels  and 
set  out.  Who  knows  but  that  we  may  have  the  luck  to  rescue 
my  father  without  much  trouble,  and  in  a  week  we  may  even 
be  marching  for  the  coast  once  more  ? " 

He  spoke  in  the  most  hopeful  manner,  for  the  good  for- 
tune with  which  they  had  hitherto  met  had  raised  his  spirits 
to  the  highest,  so  much  so  that  complete  success  seemed 
even  now  in  sight.  But  Jim  had  not  yet  encountered  the 
terrible  Mullah,  he  whose  name  was  a  byword  in  Northern 
Africa,  and  whose  cruelties  and  whose  cunning  were  talked 
about  in  every  part  of  the  civilized  world.  Had  he  had 
personal  experience  of  him,  his  ideas  would  have  undergone 
a  change,  for  this  leader  of  the  Somali  fanatics  was  not 

185 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

likely  to  sit  down  tamely  and  submit  to  the  theft  of  a  slave. 
Why  should  he  indeed,  when  he  openly  boasted  that  he  was 
ready  to  meet  all  the  troops  which  the  British  Government 
could  bring  against  him?  It  was  out  of  the  question  to 
imagine  for  a  moment  that  he  who  had  so  recently  defeated 
a  British  column  would  dream  of  allowing  this  small  ex- 
pedition to  escape  his  clutches,  if  he  obtained  news  of  its 
coming.  Why,  the  guns  and  ammunition  Jim  and  his  fol- 
lowing possessed  would  alone  have  been  a  prize,  while  the 
death  of  all  who  took  part  in  this  audacious  enterprise  would 
elevate  the  Mullah  still  higher  in  the  estimation  of  the 
savage  tribesmen  who  lived  in  these  parts.  Yes,  had  Jim 
been  able  to  see  into  this  matter  as  clearly  as  he  was  able 
to  observe  the  strongest  position  for  defence,  he  might  have 
been  less  sanguine,  indeed  he  might  have  trembled  at  the 
thought  of  all  the  danger  before  him.  But  he  was  blissfully 
ignorant,  and  went  on  with  his  plans  of  rescue,  without 
allowing  his  mind  to  dwell  unduly  upon  the  prospect  of  dif- 
ficulties which  might  yet  have  to  be  encountered.  Would  his 
determination  have  been  altered  had  he  known  that  at  that 
very  moment  the  Mullah  was  listening  to  the  tale  of  a  scout 
who  had  witnessed  the  march  of  the  column  on  the  previous 
day?  We  doubt  it,  for  Jim  was  not  the  lad  to  give  in  till 
convinced  that  he  was  beaten.  But,  as  it  was,  he  knew 
nothing,  and  went  on  with  his  preparations  with  a  mind 
which  was  free  from  uneasiness. 

"  We  have  all  had  a  hard  day,"  he  said,  "  so  I  propose  we 
turn  in  early  to-night.  Then  we  can  be  up  with  the  lark, 
and  set  to  at  the  work  we  have  before  us." 

Scarcely  had  day  dawned  when  all  were  awake,  and 
guards  having  been  posted  to  watch  the  grazing  beasts,  the 
remainder  took  spades  and  axes,  which  had  been  included  in 

1S6 


A  March  into  the  Desert 

the  baggage  of  the  column,  and,  stripping  to  the  waist, 
began  to  cut  down  the  trees  which  Jim  and  Tom  had  marked 
on  the  previous  day.  Then,  while  some  dragged  the  logs 
to  the  centre,  others  unrolled  the  barbed  wire,  and  began 
to  form  an  entanglement.  A  tiny  doorway  was  left,  so  that 
the  garrison  could  enter  at  will,  but  it  was  protected  inside 
by  a  semicircle  of  the  wire,  so  that  should  one  of  the  enemy 
happen  to  rush  in,  he  would  still  have  an  impenetrable 
barrier  before  him. 

When  the  entanglement  was  completed  to  his  satisfaction, 
Jim  set  the  men  to  work  to  throw  up  the  platform  for  the 
blockhouse,  and,  before  darkness  fell,  saw  it  completed. 

"  And  now  for  a  zareba  for  the  animals,"  he  cried  gaily, 
on  the  following  morning.  "  Not  till  that  is  done  can  I 
leave  the  camp." 

With  Tom  beside  him  to  aid  him  with  his  advice,  he 
directed  the  men  how  to  proceed  with  the  work,  and,  by 
way  of  encouraging  them,  seized  a  spade  himself,  and  began 
to  delve  with  all  his  might.  For  hours  together  all  laboured, 
but,  thanks  to  the  fact  that  the  soil  was  light  and  easily 
turned,  the  task  proved  easier  than  it  might  have  been. 
Indeed,  by  nighfall  the  animals  were  safely  enclosed,  and  an 
entanglement  of  wire  surrounded  them,  so  that  even  if  the 
enemy  managed  to  rush  up  to  them,  they  could  not  cause 
them  to  stampede.  A  trench  had  been  cut  from  the  wells  to 
this  zareba,  within  which  a  long  trough  had  been  constructed 
of  mud,  so  arranged  that  it  could  be  filled  to  the  brim  at  the 
will  of  those  who  lived  in  the  blockhouse,  while  the  contents 
would  drain  slowly  away  and  soak  into  the  soil  outside. 
Standing  in  the  centre  of  the  miniature  fort  which  lie  had 
caused  to  be  erected,  Jim  looked  about  him  on  that  evening 
with  feelings  of  pride  and  satisfaction. 

187 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  I  never  could  have  thought  it  possible,"  he  murmured  to 
himself.  "  When  we  started  from  the  farther  side  of  the 
Hoad,  it  often  troubled  me  to  think  what  we  should  do  to 
protect  ourselves  once  we  reached  the  Mullah's  country,  but 
I  never  dreamt  that  we  should  have  the  luck  to  fall  in  with 
this  oasis.  Why,  we  could  live  here  for  a  month,  or  longer, 
and  stand  a  siege  without  much  fear;  for,  with  these  logs  to 
protect  us,  we  ought  to  be  able  to  keep  the  plain  outside 
clear  of  the  enemy  during  the  daytime,  while  our  animals 
could  graze  in  the  large  square  of  barbed  wire  which  we  have 
made.  Then,  as  soon  as  they  had  eaten  the  grass  there,  we 
could  send  our  fellows  out  to  cut  more  during  the  night. 
Yes,  we  are  in  clover  here,  and  can  now  take  measures  to 
rescue  father.  Tom,  I  want  to  ask  you  a  question,"  he  con- 
tinued to  his  friend. 

"Well,  what  is  it,  old  boy?" 

"How  about  leaving  the  camp?  Will  it  be  sufficient  if 
Ali  remains  in  charge  ? " 

"  I  think  not,"  Tom  answered  with  decision.  "  Now  that 
we  are  so  close  to  the  Mullah,  we  must  take  it  for  granted 
that  an  attack,  sooner  or  later,  is  inevitable.  Tbat  being 
the  case,  it  would  be  fatal  to  leave  our  natives  to  themselves, 
for,  if  deprived  of  a  leader,  they  would  be  like  sheep,  and 
would  quickly  be  overcome.  I  know  what  you  are  worrying 
about.    You  want  to  know  who  is  to  stay  behind  ? " 

"  That  is  it,"  responded  Jim.  "  You  see,  I  have  had  the 
best  of  it  up  to  this,  and  it  seems  unfair  to  ask  you  to  sit 
down  here  while  I  have  all  the  excitement  and  adventure." 

"  ISTot  a  bit  of  it !  "  exclaimed  Tom  eagerly.  "  You  must 
remember  that  this  is  your  expedition,  and  that  the  rescue  of 
your  father  is  of  the  utmost  importance.  If  we  are  suc- 
cessful in  that,  we  shall  have  obtained  plenty  of  information 

188 


A  March  into  the  Desert 

concerning  the  Mullah,  so  that  we  shall  both  be  satisfied. 
There!  Don't  consider  me  any  more,  but  just  act  as  you 
think  best." 

"I'm  glad  to  know  that  you  think  in  that  way,  Tom," 
answered  Jim.  "  And  now,  as  you  are  agreeable  to  the 
arrangement,  I  will  ask  you  to  take  charge  of  the  camp 
while  I  go  off  on  a  scouting  expedition.  I  propose  to  take 
Ali  Kumar  alone,  and  to  strike  at  once  for  the  enemy's 
country." 


189 


CHAPTER  XII 

IN  TOUCH   WITH   THE   MULLAH 

Scarcely  had  the  sun  risen  above  the  sandy  horizon  when 
Jim  and  Ali  Kumar  rode  from  the  oasis  mounted  upon  two 
of  the  fleetest  camels  which  the  expedition  possessed.  They 
carried  upon  their  saddles  sufficient  food  and  water  to  last 
them  for  a  week,  while  each  had  a  rifle  and  abundance  of 
ammunition.  Turning  their  faces  toward  the  south,  they 
urged  their  beasts  into  a  long  swinging  trot,  and  sailed  away 
over  the  desert  with  the  cheers  of  their  comrades  ringing  in 
their  ears. 

"  Before  we  return  I  hope  to  have  obtained  full  news  of 
my  father,"  said  Jim,  as  they  swept  along.  "  If  I  find  that 
he  is  only  slightly  guarded,  I  shall  take  advantage  of  some 
dark  night  and  try  to  reach  him,  and  if  we  get  him  to  the 
camp,  the  Mullah  may  do  as  he  likes,  but  I  defy  him  to 
capture  us,  for  our  position  there  is  remarkably  strong." 

"  During  the  daytime  the  attempt  will  be  hopeless," 
answered  Ali  Kumar  thoughtfully.  "  But,  master,  I  tremble 
to  think  of  the  consequences  during  the  night,  for  we  are  few, 
and  they  would  be  many.  Creeping  up  to  us,  they  would 
rush  upon  us  before  we  were  prepared,  and  then  nothing 
could  save  the  expedition." 

"  We  shall  see  about  that,"  exclaimed  Jim  doggedly.  "  It 
seems  to  me  that  if  we  were  to  light  big  fires  round  our 
square,  we  pught  to  be  able  to  keep  the  enemy  out.  But  I 
agree  with  you,  it  would  be  a  hard  matter,  and  could  not  be 

i  go 


In  Touch  with  the  Mullah 

accomplished  without  fighting.  And  now  for  ourselves. 
Are  we  likely  to  strike  the  Mullah's  camp  if  we  push  on  in 
this  direction  ? " 

"  I  cannot  say  for  certain,"  responded  Ali.  "  But  you  will 
remember  that  the  tribesmen  informed  us  that  the  white 
prisoner  was  some  thirty  miles  south  of  the  Hoad.  If  that 
is  the  case,  we  should  be  nearer  the  Mullah  by  nightfall.  By 
that  time  it  will  be  advisable  to  find  some  spot  in  which  we 
can  safely  hide.  Then,  on  the  following  day,  we  can  sally 
out,  and,  pretending  to  be  peaceful  peasants,  try  to  ascer- 
tain news  of  your  father." 

"It  sounds  a  good  plan,  Ali,  but  you  must  recollect  that 
I  am  ignorant  of  the  language.  That  being  the  case,  it  may 
be  necessary  for  me  to  remain  hidden  while  you  go  out, 
though  when  the  time  for  rescue  comes,  I  insist  upon  taking 
a  full  share  in  the  matter." 

An  hour  after  they  had  set  out  from  the  oasis  the  two 
riders  entered  upon  a  stretch  of  country  which  differed  vastly 
from  that  which  they  had  just  left,  for  it  was  thickly  clad 
with  a  carpet  of  fresh  green,  and  was  dotted  everywhere  with 
bushes  and  trees,  and  in  parts  with  huge  masses  of  foliage 
which  showed  the  position  of  a  forest.  But  nowhere  was 
there  a  habitation  visible,  and  not  a  native  was  to  be  seen. 
Half  a  mile  farther  on,  however,  was  a  large  pool  of  water, 
from  which  the  rays  of  the  sun  were  reflected  with  dazzling 
brilliancy;  and  to  this  they  at  once  rode,  following  one  of 
the  many  paths  that  had  been  worn  through  the  bush  in  all 
directions  by  wild  animals. 

'  Half  an  hour's  halt  here,  and  then  on  we  go,"  said  Jim. 
"How  thankful  I  am  that  this  is  the  cool  season,  and  that 
the  heat  of  the  sun  is  not  too  great  to  prevent  our  marching 
during  the  day." 

191 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  It  is  fortunate,  master,"  answered  Ali,  "  for  less  than 
three  months  hence  the  journey  which  we  have  already  ac- 
complished would  have  had  to  satisfy  us  until  nightfall. 
Then  only  could  we  have  ventured  to  start  forward  again, 
for  at  the  time  of  noon  the  glare  and  strength  of  the  sun 
are  so  great  that  even  a  native  prefers  the  shade,  and  loves  to 
lie  there  and  sleep.  But  now  we  need  have  no  fears  of  sun- 
stroke, and  can  ride  on.  Our  beasts  are  in  the  finest  condi- 
tion, and  we  can  rely  upon  them  to  carry  us  the  remaining 
thirty  miles  with  the  utmost  ease.  To-morrow,  if  necessary, 
they  will  bear  us  back  again  with  the  same  certainty,  for 
these  are  picked  animals,  and  are  worth  some  thirty  of  the 
common  kind.  But  I  shall  prepare  food,  so  that  we  may 
eat  now  and  then  pass  on  without  halting." 

Taking  the  rough  bits  from  the  mouths  of  the  camels,  Ali 
led  them  to  the  water  and  allowed  them  to  drink.  Then  he 
picketed  them  in  the  centre  of  a  patch  of  luxuriant  grass, 
and  left  them  there  to  graze  to  their  hearts'  content,  while 
he  returned  to  help  Jim  with  the  meal.  Already  the  latter 
had  a  cheery  fire  burning,  and  was  toasting  two  large  juicy 
steaks  of  deer-flesh  over  it.  When  they  were  ready,  and  the 
water  boiling,  both  sat  down  beside  the  embers,  there  being 
no  ceremony  between  master  and  man.  Indeed,  looking  at 
them  there,  a  stranger  would  have  been  troubled  to  tell  the 
difference  between  these  two  Somali  natives,  for  both  had 
dusky  features  and  dark  hair,  while  their  gestures  were 
apparently  the  same.  A  closer  inspection,  however,  would 
have  shown  him  that  the  younger  of  the  two  could  find  no 
comfort  in  the  squatting  attitude  of  which  the  natives  are 
fond,  and  preferred  to  lie  upon  the  ground  reclining  upon 
his  elbow.  Then,  again,  he  ate  more  daintily,  and  drank 
from  his  tin  mug  as  if  he  had  been  accustomed  to  better 

192 


In  Touch  with  the  Mullah 

things.  But  what  was  remarkable  about  the  two  was  the  fact 
that  each  possessed  a  rifle  of  modern  workmanship,  while 
Jim  had  a  pair  of  revolvers,  the  butt  of  one  of  which  peeped 
from  beneath  his  clothing. 

Their  meal  finished,  Ali  took  from  a  pouch  which  dangled 
about  his  neck  a  pinch  of  tobacco,  and  securing  it  in  the 
hollow  of  his  hand,  proceeded  to  roll  a  cigarette.  Surely 
this  was  a  strange  thing  for  a  native  in  this  wild  part  of 
the  country  to  do !  True,  many  followers  of  the  Mullah 
indulged  in  the  smoking  habit,  but  none  knew  of  the  cigar- 
ette. Ali,  however,  had  learnt  the  art  at  Berbera,  and, 
indeed,  behaved  more  like  a  civilized  individual  than  any 
native  that  Jim  had  as  yet  seen. 

"  I  am  a  Christian  and  can  sit  at  meat  with  my  master, 
when  he  wills,"  he  had  said  some  days  before.  "  Therefore, 
should  it  fall  out  that  you  and  I  ride  away  together,  there 
will  be  no  trouble  on  that  score,  though  with  any  other  of 
your  followers  difficulties  would  arise,  for  they  could  not  eat 
with  you,  while  to  drink  from  the  same  vessel  would  be  an 
insult  to  their  religion." 

Having  finished  his  cigarette,  Ali  sprang  to  his  feet,  and 
soon  they  were  on  their  way  again.  Riding  across  an  undu- 
lating country,  they  at  length  reached  a  part  which  was 
studded  with  hills,  and  upon  ascending  to  the  summit  of 
one  of  these,  both  came  suddenly  to  a  halt,  and  uttered  a 
cry  of  satisfaction. 

"  Back,  master ! "  cried  Ali  in  alarm,  a  second  later. 
"  Dismount  from  your  camel,  and  cause  him  to  kneel,  then 
creep  forward  with  me,  and  lie  full  length  among  the  bushes, 
for,  were  we  to  ascend  to  the  sky-line,  our  figures  would  be 
seen  at  once.  There,  look!"  he  continued  a  moment  later, 
as  they  threw  themselves  upon  the  grass  and  stared  into  the 

193 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

valley  beyond.  "  You  can  see  the  mud  huts  which  the 
Mullah's  followers  occupy,  and  there  are  his  herds." 

Stretching  his  arm  before  him,  Ali  pointed  down  the 
farther  slope  of  the  hill  into  a  long  winding  depression,  down 
the  centre  of  which  ran  a  broad  stream  of  water.  Following 
his  finger,  Jim  saw  some  hundreds  of  low  mud  hovels, 
nestling  close  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  so  clear  was  the 
atmosphere  that  he  was  able  to  distinguish  numerous  figures 
moving  about,  while  herds  of  camels,  sheep,  and  horses  were 
visible  everywhere. 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  he  suddenly  asked,  pointing  in  his  turn 
to  a  dark  mass  in  the  centre  of  the  valley.  "  It  looks  to  me 
as  though  there  were  horsemen  there,  but  I  shall  soon  tell 
you,  for  I  have  brought  my  glasses  with  me." 

Hastily  withdrawing  his  field-glasses  from  the  case,  he 
raised  them  to  his  eyes  and  looked  long  and  carefully  towards 
the  object  which  he  had  discovered. 

"  It  is  the  Mullah's  army,"  he  said  in  an  excited  whisper, 
as  if  he  feared  that  the  ordinary  tones  of  his  voice  would  be 
overheard  at  that  distance,  and  so  alarm  the  enemy.  "  I  can 
see  a  host  of  horsemen,  and  more  than  three  times  as  many 
men  on  foot.  And — yes,  there  is  someone  riding  in  front 
of  them,  who  must  be  the  Mullah." 

The  sight  at  which  he  gazed  filled  Jim  with  a  feeling  of 
excitement,  for  now,  at  last,  he  was  within  touch  of  his  goal. 
There,  below  him,  was  the  man  to  whom  his  father  was  a 
slave,  and  there,  careering  up  the  valley,  were  a  portion  of 
the  following  who  might  even  then  be  on  their  way  to  attack 
the  foolhardy  Englishman  who  had  come  in  quest  of  the 
prisoner.  Could  Jim  have  read  the  thoughts  of  that  tall  man 
who  so  proudly  rode  his  charger  in  front  of  the  gathering 
of  warriors  below,  he  would  have  learned  something  that  in- 

194 


In  Touch  with  the  Mullah 

timately  concerned  himself.  As  he  sat  his  horse  there  before 
his  following,  his  face  was  turned  in  the  direction  from 
which  Jim  and  Ali  had  come,  and  his  mind  was  engaged 
with  the  news  which  had  come  to  his  ears  two  or  three  days 
before. 

"  An  insolent  Englishman  has  dared  to  cross  the  Hoad," 
he  was  murmuring  to  himself.  "  His  purpose,  as  told  me  by 
the  spy,  is  to  rescue  one  of  my  beggarly  prisoners.  Let  him 
beware.  Before  many  hours  have  passed  I  will  slay  his 
whole  following,  and  he,  too,  shall  find  himself  a  slave." 

Turning  his  horse  with  a  touch  of  his  heel,  the  Mullah 
held  his  hand  above  his  head  and  arrested  the  progress  of 
his  following.  Then  spurring  close  up  to  them,  he  gave 
them  their  orders,  and  stood  by  as  they  marched  away. 

"I  wonder  where  they  are  bound  for?"  said  Jim,  as  he 
watched  the  movement  through  his  glasses.  "  Their  heads 
were  turned  towards  the  north,  and  it  looks  as  though  they 
were  bent  upon  a  journey  which  would  take  some  time,  for 
camels  laden  with  baggage  are  accompanying  them,  while 
some  followers  are  driving  a  small  herd  of  sheep  and  cattle. 
I  hope  it  does  not  mean  that  they  have  discovered  our  camp, 
and  are  marching  to  attack  it." 

"  I  cannot  say,  master,"  answered  Ali  thoughtfully.  "But 
their  movement  looks  suspicious.  However,  should  they  have 
gained  news  of  our  coming,  it  will  be  only  as  I  have  expected 
all  along,  for  how  could  we  hope  to  enter  the  country  of  this 
man  without  being  discovered,  when  spies  abound,  and  when 
news  may  even  have  been  sent  from  Berbera  ?  Besides,  what 
of  the  traitor  who  induced  the  tribesmen  to  attack  us?  He 
had  fled,  so  said  their  messenger,  but  where  or  how  he  did 
not  mention.  Perhaps  he  took  advantage  of  the  confusion  to 
steal  a  camel,  and  with  that  to  help  him,  crossed  the  Hoad, 

195 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

knowing  that  he  would  be  welcome  to  the  Mullah.  If  that  is 
the  case,  we  have  trouble  before  us,  and  perhaps  it  would  be 
better  for  us  to  retire  at  once,  so  as  to  rejoin  our  com- 
panions." 

"  I  think  not,"  answered  Jim  promptly.  "  If  those  fellows 
down  there  are  bound  for  our  camp,  we  can  do  no  possible 
good  by  returning  to  our  friends,  for  we  should  only  make 
a  small  addition  to  their  numbers.  No,  when  we  set  out  for 
this  part,  we  did  so  with  the  full  knowledge  that  the  camp  in 
the  oasis  might  have  to  defend  itself  at  any  moment.  We 
placed  my  comrade  in  charge,  trusting  to  him  to  keep  the 
enemy  out,  and  we  must  not  allow  this  to  break  our  faith  in 
him  and  our  followers.  Let  us  leave  them  to  do  their  work 
while  we  complete  ours.  When  you  come  to  think  of  it,  the 
movement  of  those  men  below  is  probably  the  best  thing  that 
could  have  happened,  that  is,  supposing  they  are  not  suc- 
cessful in  their  attack,  as  I  firmly  believe  will  be  the  case; 
for,  knowing  that  his  followers  have  gone  to  intercept  us,  the 
Mullah  will  never  suspect  that  two  of  our  expedition  have 
detached  themselves  from  the  main  body,  and  are  already  in 
touch  with  his  camp.  He  and  those  of  his  men  who  remain 
with  him  will  have  no  fear  of  a  surprise  of  any  sort,  and  will 
therefore  neglect  all  precautions.  What  could  be  more  ad- 
vantageous to  our  cause  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  fine  argument,"  replied  Ali  Kumar,  after  a  long 
pause,  "  and  I  believe  you  have  seen  this  matter  in  the 
right  light.  As  you  say,  to  lose  faith  now  in  our  friends 
would  be  foolish.  If  they  are  attacked,  as  I  think  is  more 
than  probable,  they  must  trust  to  themselves,  and  live  or  fall 
according  to  their  ability.  Meanwhile  we  have  a  chance 
which  may  never  occur  again.  Therefore,  master,  while  you 
keep  your  glasses  fixed  upon  the  Mullah's  following,  I  shall 

196 


In  Touch  with  the  Mullah 

leave  you  for  a  time  and  search  for  a  hiding-place.  When 
I  have  found  it  I  shall  return,  and  then  we  shall  make  our 
way  down  to  the  camels." 

Accordingly  Ali  turned  and  descended  the  hill,  leaving 
Jim  stretched  out  upon  the  summit,  with  his  eyes  fixed  upon 
the  distant  warriors.  In  half  an  hour  the  Mullah's  expedi- 
tion had  disappeared  behind  an  elevation,  and  Jim  at  once 
turned  his  glasses  upon  the  solitary  horseman  who  had 
watched  them  depart.  He  saw  him  put  his  horse  into  a 
furious  gallop,  and  head  him  towards  the  collection  of  mud 
hovels.  Then  he  watched  as  the  rider  pulled  in  his  animal, 
and  threw  himself  from  the  saddle.  At  this  moment  a  native 
ran  out  and  took  the  reins  from  him,  while  the  Mullah 
strode  into  the  midst  of  the  camp.  Though  he  was  often 
hidden  for  a  considerable  time  by  some  clump  of  huts,  Jim 
was  able  to  follow  him  as  he  advanced  by  watching  for  him 
as  he  crossed  the  open  spaces.  At  last  he  reached  a  house 
of  considerable  proportions,  above  the  flat  roof  of  which  a 
tattered  banner  blew  out  in  the  tropical  breeze,  showing  a 
groundwork  of  brilliant  red,  with  figures  worked  upon  it  in 
darker  colours.    A  spear  seemed  to  form  the  supporting  post. 

"  He's  gone  in,"  said  Jim,  watching  the  figure  of  the 
Mullah  with  the  utmost  eagerness.  "  I  must  make  a  careful 
note  of  the  position  of  his  house,  for  I  might  have  to  find  my 
way  there  some  day.  Indeed,  if  father  is  there — and  I  see 
no  other  way  of  rescuing  him — I  shall  choose  a  dark  night, 
and  creep  into  the  mud  hut  into  which  the  Mullah  has  dis- 
appeared. Then  I'll  put  a  pistol  to  his  head,  and  give  him. 
the  choice  of  death  or  the  loss  of  his  slave.  But  I  should 
have  to  be  very  careful  of  treachery,  and  in  any  case  it  would 
be  a  desperate  game  to  play.  However,  we  shall  see.  Having 
come  so  far,  I  do  not  mean  to  turn  back  before  I  have  made 

197 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

every  effort,  and  if  I  fail  after  all,  why,  I'll  return  to 
Berbera,  join  the  British  troops,  and  march  in  this  direction 
again  in  their  company." 

For  long  Jim  lay  full-length  among  the  grass  with  which 
this  hill  was  thickly  clad,  and  gazed  down  into  the  valley 
which  formed  the  home  and  hiding-place  of  the  Mullah  and 
his  adherents.  Every  now  and  again  he  would  catch  sight 
of  some  figure  moving  along  the  bank  of  the  river,  or  passing 
down  the  only  street  of  which  the  village  boasted.  Instantly, 
up  would  go  his  glasses  to  his  eyes,  and  he  would  focus  them 
upon  the  object,  hoping  that  this  might  prove  to  be  the  white 
prisoner,  his  father.  But  in  every  case  the  figure  proved  to 
be  some  dusky  warrior,  trudging  along  with  his  spear  over 
one  shoulder,  and  his  hide-shield  dangling  on  his  other  arm, 
or  one  of  the  many  wives  with  which  these  Somali  fighting 
men  were  blessed,  walking  down  to  the  water  to  replenish 
her  household  stock.  Full  as  Jim's  thoughts  were  of  other 
things,  he  could  not  help  remarking  the  graceful  carriage  of 
these  people.  With  erect  figures,  and  arms  swinging  easily 
at  their  sides,  these  women  bore  upon  their  heads  a  tall 
earthen  jar,  which  they  balanced  there  with  as  much  ease  as 
the  average  individual  contrives  to  retain  his  hat. 

Later,  a  movement  about  the  central  dwelling  from  which 
the  flag  flew  attracted  his  attention,  and  looking  closely  in 
that  direction,  he  saw  four  armed  men  suddenly  emerge  from 
the  shadow  of  the  walls  into  the  road  in  front,  where  they 
formed  up  in  line.  Four  others  at  once  placed  themselves 
in  front  of  their  comrades,  and  having  saluted  one  another 
in  ceremonious  fashion,  as  people  of  the  East  are  accustomed 
to  do,  they  separated,  the  first  party  disappearing  down  the 
street,  while  the  second  filed  into  their  positions  about  the 
Mullah's  residence.    But  of  the  latter  there  was  never  a  sign; 

198 


In  Touch  with  the  Mullah 

he  remained  in  the  seclusion  of  his  mud  hut,  his  thoughts, 
no  doubt,  fixed  upon  that  tiny  camp  belonging  to  the  insolent 
Englishman,  which  he  hoped  to  hear,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
hours,  had  fallen  a  prey  to  his  followers. 

"  I  must  be  careful  to  remember  about  those  guards," 
murmured  Jim  thoughtfully,  "  for  should  it  become  neces- 
sary for  me  to  visit  the  house,  they  might  interrupt  our 
interview  and  spoil  my  chances.  But  we  shall  see;  perhaps 
Ali  will  have  good  news  for  me." 

For  three  hours  he  lay  on  the  summit  of  the  hill,  keeping 
a  careful  watch  on  the  Mullah's  camp,  and  wondering  all  the 
while  what  had  happened  to  his  native  headman,  and  why 
his  return  was  so  long  delayed. 

"  I  hope  nothing  has  happened  to  him,"  he  said  at  last,  in 
anxious  tones.  "  It  would  be  a  serious  matter  if  he  were 
captured,  for  it  would  let  the  Mullah  know  that  there  were 
spies  close  at  hand.  But  I  can't  think  what  has  happened 
to  him,  for  amongst  the  following  below  there  must  be  a 
huge  number  of  strange  men  collected  together,   and  Ali's 

clever  enough  to  pass  himself  as  one  of  these.     Besides 

Hallo!    Who's  that?" 

Happening  to  turn  his  head  to  look  at  the  two  camels 
which  were  grazing  some  two  hundred  yards  in  the  rear,  Jim 
suddenly  caught  sight  of  a  figure  running  towards  him,  and 
waving  an  arm  to  attract  his  attention.  Grasping  his  rifle, 
and  shooting  a  cartridge  into  the  breech,  he  at  once  retired 
from  the  summit  of  the  hill,  taking  care  to  creep  on  all-fours 
through  the  grass  until  well  away  from  the  sky-line.  Then 
he  started  to  his  feet,  and  running  forward  until  close  to  a 
large  mass  of  rock,  he  knelt  behind  it,  and,  raising  his 
weapon  to  his  shoulder,  covered  the  man  who  was  approach- 
ing. 

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In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Very  likely  it  is  Ali,"  he  said  to  himself ;  "  but  should 
it  happen  to  be  anyone  else,  I  shall  be  quite  ready 
for  him." 

A  minute  later  any  doubts  which  he  might  have  had 
were  dispelled,  for,  topping  a  rise  which  intervened  between 
himself  and  Jim,  the  stranger  showed  clearly  against  the 
distant  horizon. 

"Ali!"  cried  Jim,  in  tones  of  relief;  and  at  once  rising 
from  his  seat,  he  hastened  towards  him  with  his  rifle  over 
his  shoulder,  and  his  mind  filled  with  alarm  at  the  evident 
excitement  under  which  his  follower  laboured. 

"  What  is  it  ?  What  has  happened,  Ali  ?  "  he  demanded. 
"  Have  you  been  discovered  ?  And  if  so,  are  you  being  fol- 
lowed? In  that  case  we  had  better  get  the  camels  ready  at 
once,  so  that  we  may  ride  for  our  lives,  for  to  attempt  to 
remain  here  would  be  madness." 

"  No,  do  not  touch  our  animals,  but  sit  down  and  listen," 
answered  Ali  breathlessly,  throwing  himself  upon  the 
ground,  as  if  he  were  exhausted,  and  lying  there  panting 
so  hard  that  he  seemed  unable  to  speak.  At  length,  however, 
he  took  a  sip  of  water  from  the  gourd  which  dangled  at  his 
waist,  and  seeming  to  revive  at  once,  sat  up  and  gazed  at 
his  master. 

"  All  is  well,"  he  said,  "  and  I  have  not  been  discovered. 
But  I  have  seen  things  which  have  caused  me  to  tremble 
with  alarm,  and  which  sent  me  back  to  you  at  my  fastest 
pace  to  warn  you." 

"  What  is  it,  then,"  asked  Jim  anxiously,  unable  to  guess 
what  could  have  happened  to  his  follower.  "  Come,  tell  me 
at  once,  Ali." 

Leaning  forward,  he  placed  his  hand  upon  the  native's 
shoulder  and  shook  him  gently  so  as  to  hasten  him,  for  the 

200 


In  Touch  with  the  Mullah 

sight  of  Ali's  excitement  had  filled  him  with  a  vague  feeling 
of  alarm. 

"  Listen,  then,  master,  and  I  shall  tell  you  what  happened 
to  me  after  I  left  you  upon  the  summit  of  the  hill.  But  first 
let  us  climb  to  our  position  again,  and  take  our  posts  there, 
for  I  warn  you  that  if  we  are  to  escape  from  this  place 
alive,  we  must  be  ever  watchful,  and  keep  our  eyes  constantly 
fixed  upon  the  valley  below." 

This  wise  precaution  was  immediately  carried  out.  Then 
Ali  turned  towards  Jim  and  continued  his  story. 

"  When  I  left  you,"  he  said,  "  I  placed  my  rifle  beside  a 
boulder,  for  I  knew  that  it  would  at  once  arouse  the  cupidity 
and  suspicion  of  any  whom  I  might  meet.  Then  I  descended 
the  hill,  and  taking  advantage  of  a  long  stretch  of  thick 
undergrowth  which  ran  towards  the  village,  I  reached  its 
outskirts  without  having  seen  a  single  stranger.  Then  I 
watched  for  an  hour  as  the  people  walked  to  and  fro,  and 
happening  to  see  two  women  who  were  busily  engaged  in 
crushing  corn  for  their  bread,  I  crept  into  the  house  behind 
them,  and  sat  in  the  doorway  listening  to  their  conversation. 
From  what  they  said  I  gathered  that  the  Mullah  can  collect 
as  many  as  sixty  thousand  men  to  march  behind  his  banner, 
but  that  the  greater  portion  are  at  present  living  peaceful 
lives  in  their  own  particular  portion  of  the  country.  How- 
ever, as  soon  as  the  British  troops  advance,  the  call  to  arms 
will  be  sounded,  and  all  will  hasten  to  join  the  Mullah.  A 
little  while  later,  one  of  the  women  began  to  speak  of  the 
expedition  which  started  out  this  morning,  and  from  her  I 
learned  that  it  has  undoubtedly  gone  in  search  of  our  camp. 
But  guns  are  scarce,  and  it  seems  that  the  band  only  has 
about  fifty  with  it.  That  the  Mullah  had  warning  of  our 
approach  was  evident,  for  one  of  the  women  stated  that  her 

201 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

husband  was  the  scout  who  had  observed  our  arrival  on  this 
side  of  the  Hoad. 

"  Though  I  listened  to  their  chatter  for  long,  I  learned 
nothing  more  of  importance,  for  they  conversed  about  their 
children  and  their  homes.  And  so,  carefully  looking  down 
the  street,  and  observing  that  large  numbers  were  about,  I 
slipped  in  amongst  them,  feeling  confident  that  my  presence 
would  not  be  noticed.  Soon  I  was  in  their  market,  and  fol- 
lowing the  lead  of  others  of  the  men  who  were  about,  1 
purchased  some  fruit,  haggling  over  the  price,  as  is  cus- 
tomary. Then,  as  I  wandered  from  the  stalls  into  the  street 
again,  I  saw  the  white  prisoner  coming  towards  me." 

"  The  white  prisoner !  My  father !  "  almost  shouted  Jim, 
his  pulses  throbbing  with  the  news.  "  Are  you  sure  that  it 
was  he?  What  did  he  look  like?  Was  he  ill,  and  overcome 
by  his  miserable  condition  ?  " 

He  clutched  Ali  eagerly  by  the  arm  and  poured  the 
questions  upon  him  so  rapidly  that  the  latter  could  not 
answer,  but  lay  there  gazing  at  him  stolidly,  as  if  astounded 
at  his  excitement. 

"  Gently !  Speak  quietly,  master/'  he  replied.  "  The 
questions  which  you  ask  are  unnecessary,  for  there  is  but  one 
prisoner,  one  white  slave  owned  by  the  Mullah;  assuredly, 
this  one  whom  I  saw  is  your  father,  and  that  he  is  ill  and 
downcast  is  only  to  be  expected.  Indeed,  so  heavy  are  his 
cares,  and  so  great  the  labour  demanded  of  him,  that  already 
he  has  aged.  Though  but  a  few  weeks  have  passed  since  he 
was  cast  upon  this  coast,  and  fell  into  the  hands  of  these, 
our  enemies,  yet  the  time  has  been  sufficient  to  make  great 
changes  in  him.  He  is  a  tall  man,  but  no  longer  does  he 
bear  himself  proudly,  for  this  drudgery  and  the  hopelessness 
of   life   have   overcome  his   spirit.     He   lacks   energy,   and 

202 


In  Touch  with  the  Mullah 

walks  along  with  eyes  cast  down  and  with  never  a  thought  of 
his  surroundings.  Indeed,  it  is  clear  that  his  mind  is  for- 
ever bent  upon  escape,  and  that  when  he  chances  to  look 
to  right  or  left  he  does  so  with  the  hope  that  something 
shall  be  there  to  help  him — some  friend  who,  pitying  his 
condition,  has  come  prepared  to  stretch  out  a  hand,  and  aid 
him  to  reach  his  countrymen  once  more.  As  he  passed  me 
by,  and  looked  at  me  vacantly,  ignorant  of  the  fact  that  I 
was  in  reality  a  comrade  of  his  son  who  had  marched  all  this 
way  and  had  encountered  so  many  dangers  in  the  hope  of 
rescuing  him,  it  went  to  my  heart  to  notice  the  deep  lines 
that  care  had  set  upon  his  face,  and  the  whiteness  of  his 
hair.    Yes,  master,  no  longer  is  it  grey  at  the  temples  alone." 

"Poor  father!"  murmured  Jim  sorrowfully,  his  pity 
raised  to  the  highest  at  Ali's  words.  "  Poor  dad !  What  a 
change  in  his  condition !  " 

For  more  than  a  minute  there  was  silence. 

"  Go  on !  "  at  last  said  Jim,  in  more  resolute  tones.  "  It 
was  a  blow  to  hear  that  there  is  such  a  change  in  my  father, 
and  that  he  was  so  downcast.  But  after  considering  the 
matter,  I  am  bound  to  confess  that  it  is  only  to  be  expected. 
I  must  congratulate  myself  upon  the  fact  that  you  have 
seen  him  alive,  for  we  might  have  arrived  at  the  Mullah's 
camp  to  find  him  dead,  worn  out  by  his  sufferings.  What 
if  his  hair  is  grey?  Other  men  have  lost  their  colour  in  a 
night  under  some  great  strain,  but  they  have  recovered  it 
to  some  extent  later  on.  Father  will  do  the  same.  Once 
free,  he  will  become  the  same  jolly  fellow  I  have  always 
known  him." 

Tears  stood  in  Jim's  eyes  as  he  spoke,  for  he  was  deeply 
moved  at  the  thought  of  his  father's  condition,  but  with  an 
effort  he  steadied  himself,  and  signalled  to  Ali  to  proceed 

203 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

by  raising  his  hand,  for  he  could  not  trust  himself  to 
speak. 

"  Be  happy,  master.  It  matters  nothing,  whatever  the 
colour  of  the  hair,  so  long  as  life  is  there,"  answered  Ali,  in 
reassuring  tones.  "  But  let  me  proceed.  Had  I  dared  to  do 
so,  I  would  have  signed  to  the  prisoner  and  endeavoured  to 
meet  him  in  some  out-of-the-way  spot,  but  I  saw  that  such 
an  act  would  have  been  madness,  for  as  he  approached,  I 
noticed  first  one,  and  then  a  second,  armed  warrior  lounging 
amidst  the  throng,  but  keeping  a  careful  eye  all  the  while 
upon  their  charge.  Even  when  my  eyes  and  the  prisoner's 
met,  I  could  do  nothing  but  turn  hastily  away  and  gaze  at 
the  passers-by  on  the  opposite  side.  Then,  little  by  little, 
I  moved  in  the  direction  taken  by  your  father,  hoping  to 
discover  the  house  in  which  he  dwelt,  and  have  speech  with 
him.  But  the  attempt  was  doomed  to  disappointment  in 
the  last  respect,  for  his  guards  kept  ever  at  his  side.  How- 
ever, I  had  the  good  fortune  to  find  where  he  slept.  It  is 
that  tumble-down  dwelling  which  stands  behind  the  central 
one  from  which  the  flag  hangs,  and  some  few  paces  away 
from  it.  See!  There  it  is!  And  before  the  door  is  an 
armed  Somali  warrior  keeping  watch  upon  the  prisoner." 

Rising  to  his  knees,  Ali  leant  one  hand  upon  the  ground 
and  with  the  other  directed  Jim's  eyes  to  the  house  of  which 
he  had  spoken. 

"  Behind  the  big  one,  and  with  a  man  in  front  of  the 
door,"  remarked  the  latter,  with  his  eyes  glued  to  the  glasses. 
"  Yes,  I  can  see  it,  Ali,  and  feel  sure  that  I  can  make  my 
way  to  it  in  the  dark.    But  go  on  with  your  story." 

"  Half  an  hour  passed  without  my  seeing  the  prisoner 
again,"  said  Ali,  sinking  into  the  grass  once  more,  "  so 
I     crept     away,     and     rejoined     the     people.       Then,     just 

204 


In  Touch  with  the  Mullah 

as  I  was  about  to  make  my  way  back  to  you,  I  suddenly 
caught  sight  of  a  face  which  set  me  trembling.  My  knees 
knocked  together  in  my  terror,  and  had  I  not  clung  to  the 
post  of  a  doorway  which  stood  near  at  hand,  I  should  have 
fallen,  for  never  before  has  death  been  so  near  to  me." 

He  turned  to  Jim  with  flashing  eyes,  and  with  cheeks 
which  looked  pale  in  spite  of  his  dusky  complexion.  Indeed, 
glancing  at  his  features,  it  was  easy  to  see  that  his  fear  was 
great,  and  that  the  face  which  he  had  caught  sight  of  had 
caused  him  no  little  uneasiness. 

"  I  should  have  fallen,"  he  repeated,  "  but  the  doorpost 
held  me  up  while  this  man  passed.  Then  I  turned  upon  my 
heel,  and  slipping  from  the  village,  fled  hither  for  my  life." 

"  Who  can  it  have  been  ?  Speak,  man !  "  demanded  Jim 
impatiently,  bewildered  at  his  follower's  words.  "  A  strange 
face?     Why!     It  cannot  have  been " 

"  Yes,  master,  it  was  the  t.raitor  who  led  the  tribesmen 
against  us,"  gasped  Ali.  "  Of  a  sudden  I  saw  him  coming 
towards  me,  and  I  trembled  lest  he  should  recognize  me ;  for, 
had  he  done  so,  that  instant  would  have  been  the  signal  for 
my  death,  and  with  my  life  would  have  gone  all  your  hopes, 
too.  Our  danger  is  now  greater  than  ever  before,  and  it 
seems  to  me  that  we  should  be  foolish  to  remain  any  longer." 

"And  why?"  demanded  Jim  curtly,  a  look  of  determi- 
nation coming  over  his  face.  "  You  are  unmanned  by  this 
incident  and  your  imagination.  What  if  the  traitor  is  in 
the  Mullah's  village?  Is  it  likely  that  he  suspects  that  we 
are  close  at  hand?  No!  I  tell  you  he  is  chuckling  at  the 
thought  that  we  are  with  our  friends,  and  that  the  followers 
of  the  Mullah  are  about  to  attack  us.  Pull  yourself  to- 
gether. Ali,  and  be  a  man!  Or,  if  you  cannot,  leave  me  to 
carry  out  the  rescue  alone,  for  I  declare  that  I  will  not  retire. 

205 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

To-night  I  shall  go  down  to  that  hut  and  endeavour  to  rescue 
the  prisoner.  If  it  is  impossible,  I  shall  wait  for  another 
opportunity;  but  turn  my  face  the  other  way  and  leave 
father  to  his  fate  I  will  not,  not  even  if  our  presence  here 
is  discovered." 

He  spoke  the  words  almost  fiercely,  and  turned  upon  his 
follower  with  flushed  features  and  angry  eye. 

"Well,  what  is  it  to  be?"  he  demanded  curtly.  "There 
are  the  camels  below.  Take  one,  and  fly  at  once,  if  you  will, 
for  I  had  rather  that  you  did  not  stay  if  you  are  not  ready 
to  stand  by  me." 

"Master,  I  was  a  coward  for  the  moment,"  answered  Ali 
humbly.  "  The  sight  of  that  traitor  and  my  narrow  escape 
filled  me  with  fear,  and  I  returned  to  you  feeling  as  though 
the  Somali  warriors  were  following  closely  upon  me,  shouting 
for  my  life.  But  you  are  brave,  and  help  me  to  act  rightly 
in  this  matter.  Forgive  me.  I  will  stand  by  you,  whatever 
the  danger,  and  if  you  persist  in  going  into  the  Mullah's 
village  to-night  in  the  hope  of  releasing  the  captive,  I  will 
follow  you  at  a  distance  and  await  you  with  the  camels.  If, 
by  chance,  you  are  unsuccessful,  and  fall  into  the  hands  of 
these  people,  I  swear  that  I  will  not  leave  this  part  till  I 
have  done  my  utmost  to  help  you.  Go,  then,  and  may  God 
aid  you  in  your  undertaking!" 

There  was  no  doubt  of  his  earnestness,  for,  rising  to  his 
knees  once  more,  he  extended  his  hand  and  grasped  Jim's 
firmly,  looking  steadily  into  his  eyes. 

"You  are  a  man  again,  and  will  be  true  to  your  word," 
said  Jim  simply.  "  Now  bring  up  the  food  and  water,  for 
at  sundown  I  shall  leave  for  the  Mullah's  camp." 


206 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  WHITE   PRISONER 

Wearily  did  the  hours  pass  as  Jim  and  his  companion  lay 
upon  the  summit  of  the  hill,  gazing  down  into  the  valley 
below.  Indeed,  it  seemed  as  though  the  sun  would  never 
sink,  and  as  though  its  course  from  east  to  west  was  slower 
upon  this  eventful  day  than  upon  any  other.  At  length, 
however,  when  they  were  almost  worn  out  with  impatience 
and  anxiety,  the  huge  golden  orb  sank  out  of  their  sight 
below  a  distant  line  of  blue  hills,  setting  the  sky  aglow  with 
every  shade  of  the  spectrum,  blended  together  to  form  one 
magnificent  whole.  Soon,  too,  sunset  hues  faded  into  mist, 
and  with  a  suddenness  which  is  peculiar  to  these  latitudes, 
a  pall  of  darkness  covered  the  earth.  Then  out  came  the 
stars,  twinkling  above  like  so  many  diamonds,  while  down 
below  a  point  of  fire  here  and  there  showed  where  the  camp 
was  situated. 

For  an  hour  Jim  lay  there  busy  with  his  thoughts,  and 
listening  to  the  sounds  which  were  distinctly  borne  upon  his 
ear,  in  spite  of  the  distance  which  intervened  between 
himself  and  the  village. 

"  It  will  take  me  the  better  part  of  an  hour  to  get  from 
here  to  the  neighbourhood  of  the  hut  in  which  father  sleeps," 
he  said,  "  so  I  shall  start  now.  I  have  thought  the  whole 
matter  carefully  over,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  I  cannot  do 
better  than  leave  my  rifle  and  cartridges  behind  as  Ali  did. 
But  I  shall  take  a  dagger  with  me — my  hunting-knife  will 

207 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

answer  the  purpose  admirably.  Then  if  I  knock  up  against 
anyone  and  he  proves  disagreeable,  I  shall  have  a  weapon 
at  hand  with  which  to  overcome  him  silently.  If  more  than 
one  should  attack  me,  I  shall  have  to  fall  upon  my  revolvers, 
which  I  shall,  of  course,  carry  with  me.    Ali !  I  want  you." 

He  called  softly  to  his  companion,  who  crept  to  his  side 
immediately. 

"  What  can  I  do,  master?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  am  going  to  start  now,"  said  Jim  quietly,  "  and  want 
you  to  accompany  me  half-way.  I  shall  then  leave  you  with 
the  camels  and  go  on  alone.  But  it  is  important  that  we 
should  arrange  a  meeting-place  to  which  I  shall  be  able  to  find 
my  way  without  fail.  You  have  already  made  a  trip  to  the 
Mullah's  stronghold,  and  may  have  fixed  upon  a  likely  spot." 

"  That  is  the  case,"  answered  the  native  follower.  "  I  shall 
come  with  you  now,  and  when  within  half  a  mile  of  the  huts, 
I  shall  halt  in  a  tiny  ravine.  You  will  have  no  difficulty  in 
finding  your  way  to  it  on  your  return,  for  a  path  leads  to  the 
entrance,  wbere  there  is  a  well,  and  then  branches  off  to  the 
right.  Though  the  place  is  close  to  the  enemy's  sleeping 
quarters,  it  is  secluded,  and  will  form  good  cover  for  myself 
and  the  camels.  There  I  shall  await  your  coming,  and  that 
you  may  be  accompanied  by  your  father  is  the  sincere  wish 
of  your  servant." 

"I  trust  that  it  will  turn  out  like  that,  Ali;  and  if  hard 
work  and  a  little  boldness  on  my  part  will  help  towards  it, 
why,  success  ought  to  follow.  But  we  shall  see.  Now  let  us 
be  going." 

A  few  minutes  later  both  were  silently  descending  the 
hill,  taking  the  greatest  pains  to  refrain  from  stumbling  over 
boulders,  or  setting  smaller  stones  rolling  down  to  the  plain 
below;  for  there  was  never  any  knowing  when  and  where  an 

208 


The  White  Prisoner 

enemy  might  be  lurking,  though  the  fact  that  it  was  a  cold 
night  made  it  probable  that  all  the  Somali  warriors  would 
be  comfortably  ensconced  in  their  mud  huts,  enjoying  the 
warmth  to  be  obtained  there.  Indeed,  there  seemed  to  be 
none  but  themselves  abroad  that  night,  for  they  caught  sight 
of  none,  and,  but  for  the  yapping  of  a  native  cur,  heard  not 
a  single  sound.  But  that  someone  was  awake  and  alert  in 
the  Mullah's  stronghold  was  certain,  for  the  reflection  of  a 
big  wood-fire  which  burnt  in  front  of  the  central  building 
could  be  seen  in  the  sky,  while  the  peculiar  smell  came  pun- 
gently  to  their  nostrils. 

"Here  is  the  ravine,"  said  Ali  at  last,  when  they  had 
descended  to  the  plain,  and  had  traversed  a  mile  of  the  level 
country.  "Look  at  the  spot  closely,  master.  There  is  the 
well.  You  cannot  mistake  it,  for  the  light  of  the  stars  is 
reflected  from  the  water,  while  here  is  the  entrance  to  the 
ravine  of  which  I  spoke.  I  shall  await  your  coming  some 
yards  further  in,  and  should  it  fall  out  that  you  do  not  return, 
I  shall  make  my  way  back  to  the  hill-top  an  hour  before  the 
day  dawns.  To-morrow  night  I  shall  be  here  again,  and  if  it 
should  happen  that  you,  too,  are  made  a  captive,  then  I  will 
find  my  way  into  the  village,  and  seek  to  help  you.  Ali 
Kumar  has  sworn  to  stand  by  his  brave  master,  and  he  shall 
do  so,  even  though  he  comes  by  his  death  in  keeping  to  his 
word.     And  now  good-bye.     I  wish  you  all  success." 

"  Good-bye,"  repeated  Jim  heartily,  gripping  his  dusky 
comrade  by  the  hand. 

"  I  have  little  fear  of  failure,  though  I  shall  not  allow  that 
to  prevent  my  taking  every  precaution.  If  I  should  have  bad 
luck,  I  know  that  I  can  trust  you  to  keep  your  promise,  and 
I  shall  expect  to  hear  from  you.  But  let  us  hope  that  it  will 
not  come  to  that.    Stay  quietly  where  you  are,  and  when  you 

209 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

hear  a  low  cough,  step  forward  and  declare  yourself,  for  we 
shall  have  arrived.    Good-bye." 

Releasing  the  native's  hand,  Jim  at  once  strode  off  into 
the  darkness,  and  in  another  moment  was  lost  to  view.  But 
as  he  stood  there  at  the  mouth  of  the  ravine,  listening  with 
all  his  ears,  the  faithful  Ali  could  hear  the  sound  of  his 
muffled  footsteps  shuffling  along  over  the  loose  soil  of  which 
the  path  was  composed. 

"  Farewell,"  whispered  Ali,  as  the  sound  died  away.  "  May 
fortune  smile  upon  you,  for  you  are  a  brave  and  loyal  son, 
and  are  deserving  of  much  reward." 

Turning  his  face  towards  the  glare  of  the  distant  camp- 
fire,  Jim  struck  off  into  the  darkness,  and  was  soon  close  to 
the  huts  which  stood  on  the  fringe  of  the  village.  By  now 
the  moon  had  risen  higher,  and  enabled  him  to  see  his  way 
more  clearly,  though,  being  only  a  small  crescent,  it  did  not 
give  sufficient  light  to  show  his  figure  at  more  than  a  few 
paces.  Taking  advantage  of  this  fact,  he  pressed  on  without 
hesitation,  and,  before  he  had  expected  it,  was  close  to  the 
dwelling  which  stood  in  the  centre.  Yes,  there  it  was  with- 
out doubt,  for  he  could  see  the  folds  of  the  red  flag  floating 
lazily  in  the  still  night  breeze,  beating  ever  and  anon  against 
the  spear-shaft  which  supported  it,  and  giving  rise  to  a 
flapping  sound,  which,  until  the  cause  of  it  was  clear,  was 
decidedly  disconcerting. 

"  At  last !  "  murmured  Jim.  "  Over  there  is  the  hut  which 
shelters  the  Mullah,  while  in  the  other  sleeps  his  slave,  my 
dear  father.  Whatever  happens,  I  must  and  will  reach  him 
and  rescue  him.    But  how  ?  " 

The  question  was  one  which  could  not  be  answered  easily, 
and  which  set  him  puzzling  his  brains.  Half  an  hour  before 
it  had  seemed  to  him  more  or  less  a  simple  matter  to  creep 

210 


The  White  Prisoner 

close  to  the  mud  dwelling  beneath  which  his  father  slept  and 
to  gain  access  to  him  by  means  of  a  doorway,  or  perhaps  by 
cutting  a  hole  through  the  wall.  Now,  however,  when  the 
reality  was  before  him,  and  he  was  actually  brought  face  to 
face  with  the  difficulty,  he  could  not  but  admit  that  the 
danger  and  magnitude  of  the  task  were  far  greater  than  he 
had  ever  imagined.  But  he  was  not  the  lad  to  give  way,  or  to 
be  easily  discouraged,  particularly  where  his  father's  life  was 
concerned. 

"  It  looks  rather  difficult,  I  must  admit,"  said  Jim  to  him- 
self, going  on  all-fours  at  the  same  moment,  and  then  lying 
flat  upon  his  face.  "  It  seems  to  me  that  I  cannot  do  better 
than  wait  here,  hidden  in  this  long  grass,  until  I  am  certain 
of  the  whereabouts  of  the  sentries.  During  the  daytime  I 
know  that  four  keep  watch  over  the  Mullah,  while  one  sits 
before  the  door  of  the  prisoner.  But  do  they  still  act  as 
sentries  when  night  has  fallen?  I  should  think  that  their 
number  is  reduced,  particularly  now,  when  all  seems  at  peace, 
and  the  British  have  not  yet  entered  the  country.  Still,  it 
will  be  well  to  make  certain  of  the  fact,  for  it  would  be  fatal 
to  walk  into  the  arms  of  one  of  these  Somali  warriors  just  as 
I  was  about  to  communicate  with  the  prisoner." 

Many  minutes  passed  as  he  reclined  full-length  in  the 
grass,  and  it  was  only  when  his  stock  of  patience  was  well- 
nigh  exhausted  that  he  observed  a  movement  close  to  the 
door  of  the  hut  in  which  the  prisoner  lived. 

"  A  sentry,"  he  said  to  himself,  as  a  figure  suddenly  rose 
from  the  ground  and  stood  erect,  with  arms  wide  outstretched. 
"And  evidently  sleepy,  too,"  he  added,  as  the  native  again 
raised  his  limbs  and  yawned  deeply,  showing  a  profile  which 
was  clear  and  distinct  against  the  watch-fire  which  burnt 
some  paces  beyond.     "  I  must  keep  my  eyes  upon  him,  and 

211 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

see  where  he  rests,  for  that  is  what  the  fellow  will  do,  I  should 
fancy.  He  knows,  or  rather  thinks,  that  there  is  nothing  to 
fear,  and  being  tired,  he  will  indulge  in  a  snooze.  Well,  if 
he  does  so,  all  the  better  for  my  hopes." 

A  few  moments  later  the  native  slouched  across  to  the 
opposite  dwelling,  the  one  in  which  the  Mullah  lived,  and 
after  looking  about  him  and  conversing  for  a  short  while 
with  a  second  sentry  who  marched  at  the  front,  sat  down 
deliberately  against  the  wall,  and  folding  his  arms,  gave 
himself  up  unrestrainedly  to  sleep. 

"  They  have  most  likely  arranged  to  keep  watch  for  one 
another,"  thought  Jim.  "  This  fellow  will  have  a  couple  or 
more  hours'  rest,  and  then  will  have  to  relieve  his  comrade. 
If  that  is  the  arrangement,  it  will  suit  me  very  well,  for  the 
man  who  is  on  duty  now  will  devote  himself  to  the  Mullah, 
and  will  pay  only  casual  attention  to  the  prisoner's  hut.  I 
shall  wait  till  he  has  strolled  round  this  way,  and  then  I  shall 
make  a  dash  for  the  door,  and  trust  to  getting  in  before  he 
takes  it  into  his  head  to  have  a  second  look.  Ah,  here  he 
comes !  " 

The  guard  came  sauntering  round  the  larger  of  the  two 
huts,  and  allowed  Jim  to  obtain  a  good  view  of  his  features, 
for  he,  too,  as  if  he  had  caught  the  infection  from  his  com- 
rade, stopped  in  the  glare  of  the  firelight  and  yawned  loudly, 
throwing  his  head  back  and  stretching  in  a  manner  which 
showed  how  drowsy  he  was.  Then  he  went  to  the  mud  hut, 
and  fumbled  at  the  door.  To  Jim's  delight,  it  opened, 
showing  that  it  was  not  secured  in  any  way.  But  the  sentry 
had  another  object  in  view  than  to  test  the  fastenings,  for, 
drawing  it  back  as  far  as  it  would  go,  he  stepped  on  one  side 
so  as  not  to  obstruct  the  rays  of  the  moon,  and  then  peered 
in.  Evidently  he  caught  sight  of  the  prisoner,  for  he  gave 

212 


The  White  Prisoner 

vent  to  a  guttural  murmur  of  approval,  and  then  closed  the 
door  to  with  a  jar.  Then  he  slouched  away,  carrying  his 
spear  over  his  shoulder,  with  his  shield  dangling  to  it  by  a 
length  of  twisted  leather. 

"  Now  is  my  chance,"  murmured  Jim.  "  I'll  give  him  a 
moment  to  get  round  the  corner,  and  then  I'll  make  a  dart  for 
the  hut.    Here  goes !  " 

Turning  his  eyes  for  one  second  to  the  figure  of  the  sleep- 
ing man,  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  crept  softly  across  the 
ground.  An  open  space  was  before  him,  but  he  did  not  hesi- 
tate, and,  pressing  on,  was  before  the  door  of  the  prison  in 
half  a  dozen  strides.  A  moment  sufficed  to  unlatch  it,  and 
swinging  it  back,  he  crawled  in  on  all-fours,  closing  it  after 
him  with  the  greatest  caution. 

"  And  now  for  the  prisoner,"  he  said.  "  I  must  be  careful 
how  I  awake  him,  for  in  his  astonishment  he  might  unwit- 
tingly give  the  alarm  and  ruin  all  my  plans.  But  first,  where 
is  he?" 

Kneeling  upon  the  floor  of  hard-beaten  clay,  he  stared  into 
the  darkness  in  which  the  interior  of  the  dwelling  was  buried, 
endeavouring  to  make  out  the  figure  of  the  prisoner.  And  all 
the  while,  though  he  fought  to  steady  himself,  and  struggled 
to  keep  his  limbs  from  trembling,  his  heart  would  beat  against 
his  ribs  with  such  force,  and  with  such  a  resounding  noise, 
that  it  threatened  to  betray  him.  And  who  could  blame  him 
for  being  so  excited,  for  being  so  unnerved  that  he  was  almost 
incapable  of  any  movement,  and  knelt  there  as  if  carved  in 
stone?  Who,  indeed,  with  such  interests  at  stake?  Had  he 
not  toiled  over  miles  and  miles  of  sandy  desert  and  sun-baked 
ground  to  reach  this  spot?  Was  not  this  almost  the  summit 
of  his  hopes  and  his  ambitions?  Here  he  was,  after  long 
marching  and  infinite  toil,   in  reach  of  his  prize   at  last, 

213 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

within  sight  of  the  end  of  his  arduous  task,  and,  wonder  of 
wonders,  the  thought  of  it  all  had  so  excited  him,  so  un- 
manned him,  indeed,  that  for  more  than  a  minute  he  was 
helpless,  a  mere  child  in  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  camp.  But 
the  change  did  not  last  for  long;  for  of  a  sudden  his  eyes  fell 
upon  a  huddled  figure  lying  in  the  corner,  and  with  a  thrill 
he  realized  that  it  was  the  white  prisoner. 

"  Father !  father !  "  he  murmured,  with  lips  which  would 
tremble  in  spite  of  himself.  "  I  am  here — 'Jim !  Your  son — 
come  to  rescue  you !    Wake  up,  and  talk  to  me." 

But  there  was  no  answer  to  his  words  save  a  deep  snore, 
and  the  sound  of  heavy  breathing,  which  showed  that  the 
white  prisoner  was  still  fast  asleep.  A  moment  later,  how- 
ever, Jim  had  crawled  to  his  side,  and  taking  the  very  neces- 
sary precaution  to  place  a  finger  upon  the  sleeper's  lips,  shook 
him  gently  with  his  other  hand. 

"  Wake  up,  father,"  he  whispered,  placing  his  lips  close  to 
his  ear.    "  It  is  Jim.    Don't  you  know  me?  " 

"  Who's  that  ?  What's  the  matter  ?  "  asked  the  prisoner, 
suddenly  sitting  up  and  speaking  as  if  bewildered.  "  I  swear 
that  I  heard  someone  talking  in  English.  But  no,  it  cannot 
be  the  case.  I've  dreamt  the  same  thing  time  and  again, 
until  my  heart  is  sick  at  the  thought.  No,  I  am  a  slave  to 
these  brutes,  and  shall  remain  so  till  the  end  of  my  days." 

Strange!  The  voice  seemed  harsher  than  that  to  which 
Jim  was  accustomed.    But,  no  doubt,  hardship  had  altered  it. 

"  Don't  try  to  sleep  any  more,"  he  whispered  eagerly. 
"  The  voice  is  real.    I  am  here — Jim !      Can't  you  tell  ?  " 

The  prisoner,  who  had  again  thrown  himself  upon  the  floor, 
shot  up  into  a  sitting  position  as  if  he  had  been  struck,  and 
sat  there  staring  at  the  figure  beside  him,  as  if  unable  to 
believe  his  ears. 

2ld 


The  White  Prisoner 

"  It's  true,  then  ?  "  he  said  huskily.  "  But  who  are  you  ? 
Jim?  Who's  Jim?  I  know  of  none  of  that  name,  save  an 
old  shipmate  who  sailed  a  trip  or  two  to  the  '  shiny '  with 
me.  Who  is  it,  then?  But  anyway  I  reckon  that  it  is  a 
friend." 

At  the  words  a  dreadful  fear  fell  upon  Jim,  and  crawling 
closer  to  the  prisoner,  he  stared  eagerly  into  his  face,  en- 
deavouring to  make  out  in  the  obscurity  of  the  hut  what  were 
the  features.  As  if  to  help  him  in  his  trouble,  a  few  stray 
rays  of  the  moon  managed  at  that  moment  to  penetrate  a 
chink  between  the  door  and  its  post,  and,  falling  upon  the 
white  stranger,  allowed  a  closer  scrutiny  than  would  other- 
wise have  been  possible.  To  describe  the  disappointment, 
the  dismay,  which  Jim  felt  would  be  impossible ;  for,  after  all 
his  care,  after  all  his  labours  and  trials,  he  saw  that  a 
hideous  error  had  been  made,  and  that  the  white  prisoner 
was  not  the  Colonel  Hubbard  who  was  reported  to  have  es- 
caped the  wreck  in  the  Gulf  of  Aden. 

"  Not  my  father  ? "  murmured  Jim  brokenly,  feeling 
crushed  by  the  weight  of  the  blow.  "  I  have  marched  miles 
to  win  this  meeting,  and  came  here  this  night  in  the  hope 
that  I  was  about  to  release  my  father  from  prison.  And  now 
I  find  that  you  are  a  stranger.  The  disappointment  is  almost 
too  hard  to  bear." 

"  And  where  have  you  come  from,  may  I  ask  ? "  whispered 
the  stranger.  "  As  yet  I,  too,  am  bewildered,  and  it  is  as 
much  as  I  can  do  to  understand  that  at  last  I  am  listening  to 
another  Englishman.  Why,  man,  it  seems  years  since  I  heard 
the  language,  though  in  reality  it's  a  matter  of  a  week  or  so 
only.  But  you  say  you  have  come  here  to  rescue.  Where 
from,  then?  I  cannot  make  head  or  tail  of  this  affair.  But 
steady !    As  you  value  your  life,  keep  your  words  low,  for  our 

215 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

guards  have  sharp  ears,  and  sharper  and  more  ready 
spears." 

For  some  minutes  Jim  could  make  no  reply  to  the  man's 
questions,  for  he  felt  stunned  with  the  blow,  indeed,  so  dazed 
and  bewildered  that  he  might  have  been  totally  unconscious, 
so  still  did  he  lie.  His  breath  came  in  gasps  and  catches, 
and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  he  could  repress  the  tears 
which  welled  to  his  eyes,  and  made  frantic  efforts  to  overflow. 

"  Not  my  father  ?  "  he  repeated  at  length.  "  But  who  are 
you?" 

"  An  unlucky  dog  who  happened  to  be  thrown  ashore  after 
a  wreck  in  the  Gulf  of  Aden,"  was  the  answer.  "  For  three 
years  have  I  been  a  prisoner  to  this  fiend  who  goes  by  the 
name  of  the  '  Mad '  Mullah." 

"  Then,  do  you  know  of  another  ? "  asked  Jim  eagerly, 
seizing  the  stranger  by  the  arm,  and  bringing  his  face  so 
close  to  his  that  they  almost  touched.  "  Tell  me  at  once ! 
Quick,  I  cannot  wait !  " 

In  his  anxiety  to  hear  the  news,  Jim  shook  the  stranger 
and  whispered  the  question  fiercely  in  his  ear,  feeling  as 
though  his  own  life  and  happiness  depended  upon  the  answer. 

"  Hush !  Steady,  man !  You  will  have  our  guard  rushing 
upon  us  if  you  are  not  careful.  There!  What  is  that?  I 
can  hear  the  man  outside  coming  to  make  his  usual  inspec- 
tion.   We  are  discovered,  and  shall  be  killed." 

For  the  space  of  a  few  seconds  both  sat  upon  the  mud 
floor,  staring  at  the  wicket  and  listening  attentively.  As 
they  did  so,  the  shuffling  sound  made  by  a  man  walking  with 
sandals  upon  his  feet  could  be  heard  approaching,  and  in- 
stantly Jim  realized  that  this  must  be  the  sentry  who  was 
doing  duty  for  himself  and  for  his  comrades. 

"Lie  down  just  here,  and  pretend  to  be  asleep,"  he  whis- 

216 


The  White  Prisoner 

pered  quickly.  "  He  will  do  as  he  did  before,  and  will  throw 
open  the  door  so  as  to  obtain  a  clear  view  of  the  interior. 
But  the  light  of  the  moon  will  only  fall  just  where  you  are, 
while  the  remainder  of  the  hut  will  be  in  darkness.  I'll  get- 
over  into  the  corner,  and  level  my  revolver  at  his  head. 
If  he  discovers  me,  I  shall  shoot,  and  you  had  better  be  ready 
to  join  me  at  once.  In  the  confusion  we  shall  make  a  bolt 
for  the  hiding-place  in  which  I  have  a  follower  and  two 
camels.    Do  you  understand  ?     Quick  with  your  answer !  " 

The  white  prisoner  gave  a  rapid  response  in  the  affirma- 
tive, and  at  once  lay  down  in  the  attitude  of  sleep,  whilst 
Jim  leaped  across  the  hut  into  the  darkest  corner.  Then 
gently  drawing  a  revolver  from  beneath  his  waistcloth,  he 
shuffled  a  few  inches  to  the  left  until  he  could  get  a  partial 
view  of  the  doorway,  at  which  he  at  once  presented  his 
weapon. 

Almost  immediately  the  sound  of  the  latch  was  heard, 
seeming  to  break  upon  the  stillness  with  startling  loudness. 
Then  the  twisted  leather  hinges  creaked,  while  the  foot  of  the 
door  scraped  over  the  ground,  allowing  a  flood  of  moonlight 
to  pour  into  the  room.  In  the  centre  of  the  brilliant  patch 
could  be  seen  the  dark  shadow  of  the  sentry,  slanting  across 
the  floor  until  it  fell  upon  the  sleeper,  and  hung  over  him. 
But  a  moment  later  the  man  stepped  on  one  side,  and  then 
there  was  silence  once  more  as  he  peered  in.  Sitting  there, 
in  his  dark  corner,  Jim  could  hear  the  man's  heavy  breathing, 
and  kept  his  revolver  steadily  levelled,  knowing  that  if  he 
were  to  be  discovered  it  would  be  during  the  next  few  second*. 
Breathlessly  he  waited,  not  daring  to  move  a  finger,  but 
feeling  all  the  while  as  though  the  man's  eyes  were  searching 
every  nook  and  cranny  of  the  hut,  and  had  fixed  themselves 
upon  him.    Indeed,  so  firmly  was  he  convinced  of  this   that 

217 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

he  began  to  stretch  a  little  farther  to  one  side  till  the  head 
of  the  sentry  came  into  view.  And  there  he  remained  in  his 
strained  position,  the  muzzle  of  his  weapon  covering  the 
intruder,  and  his  finger  on  the  trigger,  ready  to  press  it  and 
send  the  death-dealing  bullet  home.  An  age  seemed  to  pass 
before  the  Somali  warrior  ended  his  scrutiny  of  the  hut,  and 
it  was  with  a  feeling  of  indescribable  relief  that  Jim  saw  his 
head  withdrawn,  and  heard  the  rasping  of  the  wicket  again 
as  it  closed.  As  if  fascinated,  he  watched  the  patch  of 
moonlight  diminish,  and  then  sat  there  with  the  moisture 
pouring  from  his  forehead,  listening  to  the  sounds  outside. 

"  A  narrow  squeak,  I  think,"  said  a  voice  from  the  farther 
end.  "  That  beggar  seemed  to  be  suspicious,  and  as  I  lay 
there  watching  him  through  a  half -closed  eye,  I  felt  sure  that 
he  was  about  to  enter.  Had  he  done  so,  and  you  had  not  fired, 
I  should  have  been  upon  his  back  in  a  moment,  and  you 
could  have  trusted  me  to  bring  him  to  the  ground  with  a 
broken  neck,  for  that  is  a  trick  of  which  these  Somali  people 
are  very  fond.  Come  over  and  join  me,  and  I  will  go  on  with 
my  tale." 

Creeping  across  the  floor,  Jim  took  the  precaution  first  of 
replacing  his  revolver,  for  in  the  darkness  there  was  the 
danger  always  of  an  accidental  explosion,  which  would  have 
been  a  very  serious  matter.  Then  he  seated  himself  close 
beside  the  stranger,  and  together  they  conversed  in  whispers. 

"  Answer  my  questions,"  said  Jim  eagerly,  "  then  you  can 
tell  all  about  yourself." 

•  "  Make  your  mind  easy,"  was  the  answer,  "  for  I  have  good 
news  for  you.    But  first,  say  who  you  are." 

"  Jim  Hubbard,  son  of  Colonel  Hubbard,  wrecked  on  the 
Somali  coast  a  matter  of  six  weeks  ago." 

"  And  a  gallant  young  fellow !  "  was  the  energetic  response. 

218 


JIM    KEPT   HIS    REVOLVER    STEADILV    LEVELLED. 


The  White  Prisoner 

"  Your  father,  I  am  glad  to  say,  is  alive,  and  at  this  moment 
within  three  hundred  paces  of  you.  Like  myself,  he  is  a  slave 
to  the  Mullah,  but  being  new  to  the  work,  he  has  not  yet  lost 
his  independence  and  spirit,  and  a  week  ago,  hearing  news 
the  facts  of  which  never  reached  my  ears,  he  made  a  desperate 
attempt  at  escape,  but  was  discovered  and  recaptured.  I 
have  been  a  prisoner  so  long  that  I  can  speak  the  language 
perfectly,  and  have  many  friends  amongst  the  natives,  and 
from  them  I  learnt  that  the  colonel  had  made  a  desperate 
resistance,  and  had  been  wounded.  But  the  injury  is  not 
severe,  though  it  prevents  him  from  walking,  and  has  given 
him  a  blessed  release  from  slavery,  for  the  time  being  at 
least." 

Jim  listened  to  the  news  with  feelings  of  the  deepest  grati- 
tude, and  when  the  stranger  had  finished,  sat  there  without 
answering  a  word,  thinking  the  whole  matter  out. 

"  A  few  minutes  ago  I  felt  like  a  baby,"  he  said.  "  The 
disappointment  was  so  great  that,  if  I  had  been  a  girl,  I  should 
have  cried.  But  the  information  which  you  have  just  given 
me  raises  my  spirits  again,  and  I  feel  that,  after  all,  things 
are  about  to  turn  out  as  I  wished.  Can  you  lead  me  to  my 
father?  If  you  can,  we  must  go  at  once  and  rescue  him. 
Then  we  shall  rejoin  my  follower,  and  when  the  morning 
dawns  we  shall  be  miles  away  amongst  our  friends,  ready  and 
willing  to  make  a  fight  for  it,  should  we  be  followed." 

"  And  you'll  take  me  with  you  ?  "  asked  the  prisoner.  "  Just 
think  of  it  for  a  moment!  I'm  John  Margetson,  third  mate 
aboard  an  ocean-going  steamer,  and  no  great  person  at  any 
time.  In  the  search  for  your  father  chance  has  brought  you 
to  my  side,  and  I  tell  you  candidly  to  leave  me  where  I  am, 
and  go  on  with  the  business  you  have  in  hand,  for  if  you 
include  me  in  your  party  your  risks  will  be  doubled.     For 

219 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

think,  in  another  quarter  of  an  hour  that  sentry  outside  will 
poke  his  ugly  head  into  the  hut  again,  and  then  the  cat  will 
be  out  of  the  bag.  On  the  other  hand,  I  can  tell  you  where 
your  father  lies,  and  can  describe  the  position  so  accurately 
that  you  will  be  able  to  find  him  without  further  help." 

The  stranger  caught  Jim  by  the  hand,  and  whispered  the 
words  eagerly  into  his  ear,  repeating  them  in  his  unselfish 
attempt  to  persuade  this  lad  to  leave  him  to  his  fate. 

"  Do  you  think  I  am  a  coward  ? "  asked  Jim  quietly. 
"  Should  I  be  worthy  to  be  called  the  son  of  my  father  if  I 
left  you  in  the  lurch  ?  Ask  yourself  that  question,  and  then 
give  me  the  answer,  though,  whatever  it  is,  I  tell  you  that  if 
you  will  come  I  will  gladly  take  you  with  me,  and  should 
never  forgive  myself  if  I  were  to  leave  you  behind." 

"Spoken  like  a  man!"  exclaimed  John  Margetson.  "I 
wanted  to  put  the  case  before  you  clearly,  but  you  cannot  tell 
what  your  answer  meant  to  me,  for  I  have  endured  three 
years  of  hopeless  slavery.  For  all  that  time  I  have  been  the 
butt  of  every  man,  woman,  and  child  who  owed  allegiance  to 
the  Mullah,  and  whenever  his  adherents  met  with  a  reverse, 
I  have  gone  in  terror  of  my  life.  I  have  been  threatened, 
beaten,  starved,  until  life  has  become  at  times  such  a  misery 
that,  but  for  the  fact  that  at  the  worst  it  is  dear  to  every 
man,  and  that  our  religion  forbids  it,  I  would  have  thrown 
myself  into  the  river  yonder  and  ended  my  wretched  exist- 
ence. Rescue  me  from  my  captors.  Take  me  back  to  my  old 
life,  to  my  old  friends  and  associates,  and  I  shall  be  your 
debtor  till  the  end  of  my  days.    I  shall,  indeed." 

There  was  no  doubt  of  John  Margetson's  earnestness,  for 
his  voice  trembled  as  he  spoke,  and  his  lips  twitched  so  vio- 
lently that  he  could  scarcely  form  the  words. 

"  I  know  what  you  feel,"  responded  Jim  soothingly.    "  Help 

220 


The  White  Prisoner 

me  to  find  my  father,  and  then  all  that  I  may  have  done  for 
you  will  have  been  amply  repaid.  And  now  let  us  discuss 
our  plans." 

For  some  twenty  minutes  the  two  sat  side  by  side  with  their 
heads  close  together,  whispering  in  the  darkness,  and  then 
separated,  for  the  shuffling  step  of  the  sentry  was  again  heard. 
But  on  this  occasion  he  seemed  to  be  satisfied  with  a  casual 
inspection,  and  barely  troubled  to  do  more  than  place  the 
wicket  ajar  and  peep  in.  The  sight  of  the  prisoner's  legs, 
upon  which  a  patch  of  light  fell,  made  his  mind  easy,  and  he 
at  once  retired,  and,  striding  to  the  front  of  the  larger  build- 
ing, walked  to  and  fro  within  a  few  paces  of  the  log-fire  which 
blazed  there.  Then  he  shivered,  and,  drawing  his  blanket 
closer  about  him,  thrust  the  haft  of  his  spear  into  the  blaze 
and  stirred  the  embers  till  the  flames  leapt  high  into  the  air. 
And  all  the  while  the  second  warrior  sat  propped  against  the 
opposite  hut,  a  blanket  drawn  tightly  about  him,  and  his  chin 
resting  upon  his  breast.  There  was  no  doubt  that  he  was  fast 
asleep,  for  his  snores  proclaimed  the  fact,  while  he  made  no 
movement,  though  Jim  and  his  companion  stared  at  Kim 
through  the  open  door  for  the  space  of  five  minutes.  As  soon 
as  they  were  satisfied  of  this,  they  went  out  and  pushed  the 
wicket  to.  Then  John  Margetson  stepped  to  the  front  to 
lead  the  way,  and  at  once  began  to  cross  the  open  space  which 
surrounded  the  dwellings,  Jim  falling  silently  behind  him. 
Like  ghosts  they  flitted  across  the  ground,  and,  hastening 
from  the  moonlit  area,  dived  into  the  deepest  shadows  that 
could  be  found.  A  hundred  yards  farther  on  both  came  to  a 
sudden  halt,  and  crouched  in  the  darkness,  listening  appre- 
hensively. 

What  was  that?  A  shrill  cry  of  alarm  suddenly  rent  the 
air,  and  was  followed  by  another.     Then  there  was  a  loud 

221 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

report  of  a  gun,  and  instantly,  it  seemed,  the  village  hummed 
and  buzzed  with  life.  Doors  flew  open,  and  men  came  rush- 
ing out  with  arms  in  their  hands,  each  one  shouting  to  the 
other  to  ask  what  the  trouble  was,  till  the  air  was  alive  with 
their  voices.  Then,  as  a  sudden  silence  settled  over  the 
Mullah's  camp,  for  the  space  of  a  few  seconds,  a  tall  man  was 
seen  to  be  standing  beside  the  flagstaff  upon  the  roof  of  the 
central  house.  His  hand  was  uplifted  as  if  he  were  about 
to  speak,  and  instantly  all  turned  their  heads  in  his  direction 
and  ceased  their  clamour. 

"  Awake !  "  shouted  the  man.  "  The  prisoner  has  escaped, 
and  is  even  now  within  our  reach.  I,  the  Mullah,  order  you 
to  arm  and  separate  in  parties.  To  the  one  who  returns  with 
the  infidel  I  will  give  a  great  reward." 

At  once  all  the  men  of  the  village  ran  back  to  their  houses, 
and  within  five  minutes  there  was  silence  once  more,  save  for 
the  pattering  of  many  feet,  as  the  warriors  left  the  camp  in 
search  of  their  prisoner. 


222 


CHAPTER   XIV 

HEMMED  IN   BY   THE   ENEMY 

Nothing  but  misfortune  seemed  to  be  in  store  for  Jim 
Hubbard  upon  this  eventful  evening.  First,  he  had  experi- 
enced the  bitter  disappointment  of  learning  that  the  white 
prisoner  at  whose  rescue  he  had  aimed,  and  for  whose  sake  he 
had  marched  so  many  miles,  was,  after  all,  not  the  one  whom 
he  had  hoped  to  find.  But  the  news  that  his  father  was 
actually  alive  and  within  a  few  yards  of  him  had  revived  his 
flagging  energy,  and  with  his  new-found  friend,  John  Mar- 
getson,  he  had  set  out  for  the  purpose  of  reaching  him,  only 
to  hear  suddenly  that  wild  shout,  to  crouch  there  in  the 
shadow  cast  by  a  large  square  hut  and  watch  that  tall  un- 
couth figure  standing  on  the  roof  beside  the  flag  in  the  light 
of  the  flames  from  the  watch-fire  below.  It  was  a  bitter  blow, 
and  in  his  anger  and  desperation  Jim  even  levelled  his  re- 
volver at  the  Mullah,  and  would  have  fired  in  the  hope  of 
slaying  him.  But  he  had  beside  him  a  man  whom  long- 
suffering  had  taught  to  be  cautious,  and  instantly  a  gentle 
but  firm  grasp  was  laid  upon  his  arm,  and  his  companion 
whispered  in  his  ear. 

"  You  are  mad !  "  he  said  fiercely.  "  Drop  your  weapon, 
and  lie  down  close  against  the  foot  of  this  wall.  We  are  not 
discovered  yet,  and  may  even  escape  if  we  make  use  of  our 
wits." 

"  But  how?  "  asked  Jim.  "  Already  the  place  is  alive  with 
search  parties,  who  will  run  over  every  inch  of  the  ground, 

223 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

and  are  certain  to  fall  upon  us.  I  tell  you  that  our  chances 
are  ended,  and  that  we  shall  never  get  away  from  here.  But 
I  admit  that  it  would  have  been  a  foolish  act  to  fire  at  the 
Mullah.  I  was  in  a  temper,  and  felt  that  if  I  could  only  kill 
him  I  should  be  satisfied.  However,  we  shall  do  as  you  say, 
and  wait  to  see  how  things  turn  out." 

Throwing  themselves  upon  the  ground,  with  their  heads 
close  together,  they  lay  so  still  that  they  might  have  been 
logs  of  wood.  Around  them,  and  stretching  away  from  the 
wall  for  the  space  of  some  five  feet,  was  a  dense  shadow  cast 
by  the  roof.  But  there  it  ended  abruptly  in  a  sharp  clear 
line,  from  which  point  the  ground  was  lit  by  the  rays  of  the 
moon.  And  across  this,  hurrying  hither  and  thither,  and 
searching  every  corner,  went  parties  of  fully  armed  Somali 
warriors,  each  numbering  from  six  to  a  dozen.  Like  hounds 
in  search  of  a  fox,  they  thrust  their  bodies  into  every  crevice, 
prodding  walls  and  ground  with  their  spears,  and  drawing 
the  covers  blank,  turned  away  with  a  snarl  of  rage,  to  proceed 
with  the  hunt  elsewhere. 

"  If  we  can  only  manage  to  give  them  the  slip  here,  there 
will  be  still  some  chance  of  safety,"  whispered  Jim,  with  his 
eyes  fixed  upon  the  search-parties.  "  Put  yourself  into  their 
position,  and  ask  yourself  what  would  be  the  natural  act  of 
any  prisoner  who  was  attempting  to  escape." 

"  He  would  be  a  fool  to  stay  here,"  was  the  emphatic 
answer.  "  It  would  be  sheer  suicide  to  remain  in  the 
Mullah's  village,  and,  were  I  flying  for  my  life  alone,  I 
should  have  turned  away  to  the  open  country,  and 
endeavoured  to  place  miles  of  plain  between  myself  and 
my  enemies." 

"  Just  so,"  replied  Jim  coolly,  seeming  to  become  more 
collected  as  the  danger  increased,  "  and,  as  one  of  the  Mullah's 

224 


Hemmed  in  by  the  Enemy 

followers,  I  should  leave  the  search  of  the  village  to  the 
women  and  children  and  the  stray  curs  with  which  it  is  in- 
fested, and,  mounting  my  fastest  horse,  should  gallop  so  as  to 
get  beyond  the  prisoner  and  head  him.  That  is  what  these 
fellows  will  do,  and  we  must  consider  ourselves  fortunate  in 
that  we  are  where  we  are.  Let  us  move  along  to  the  corner, 
and  then,  if  a  party  approaches,  we  can  slip  round  to  the 
other  side." 

"  Why  not  try  the  roof  ?  "  suggested  his  companion  eagerly. 
"  It's  as  flat  as  a  pancake,  and  has  a  ridge  all  round  it,  which 
will  effectually  hide  us.  I  quite  agree  with  you  that,  des- 
perate though  our  position  seems,  we  are  far  safer  here  than 
we  should  have  been  had  we  ventured  beyond  the  village. 
Come,  let  us  get  up  on  the  top,  for  I  can  see  a  group  of  So- 
malis  coming  this  way." 

In  a  moment  both  were  on  their  feet  and  endeavouring  to 
get  a  grip  of  the  coping  of  the  roof.  But,  though  they  stood 
upon  their  toes,  and  even  leapt  into  the  air,  they  found,  to 
their  disappointment,  that  it  was  still  well  beyond  their 
reach. 

"  Then  we  must  try  another  way,"  whispered  Jim.  "  Are 
you  fairly  strong  in  the  arms  ?  " 

"  I  ought  to  be,"  was  the  answer,  "  for  I  have  had  three 
years  of  slavery.    What  do  you  propose  ?  " 

"Up  on  to  my  back!  Quick!  That's  it.  Now  lean 
against  the  wall,  and  steady  yourself  while  I  straighten  to  my 
full  height.    Can  you  reach  now?" 

Without  wasting  a  moment,  for  time  was  of  the  utmost 
value  to  them,  Jim  placed  his  hand  against  the  side  of  the 
dwelling  and  rounded  his  shoulders.  Grasping  his  meaning, 
his  companion  leapt  upon  him  with  one  agile  spring,  having 
the  fortune  to  alight  on  the  very  centre  of  his  back.    Then, 

225 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

gingerly  advancing  his  sandalled  feet,  he  placed  them  on 
either  side  of  Jim's  head,  and  leant  forward  till  his  hands 
came  in  contact  with  the  wall.  He  was  a  big  man,  and 
weighed  some  twelve  stone  or  more,  but  though  Jim  groaned 
under  the  burden,  and  at  any  other  time  would  have  found  it 
a  difficult  matter  to  raise  himself  to  the  erect  position,  he  now 
stood  upright  with  scarcely  an  effort,  fear  lending  strength 
to  his  muscles. 

"  Got  it !  I've  a  grip  of  the  coping,  and  can  hang  on  here 
until  you  are  up,"  whispered  John  Margetson.  "  But 
hurry  up !  " 

Stepping  back  from  the  wall  so  as  to  obtain  a  little  run, 
and  yet  carefully  keeping  within  the  shadow,  Jim  leapt 
forward,  and  then  sprang  high  in  the  air,  grasping  at  the  dim 
figure  of  his  companion  with  both  hands.  As  he  dangled 
there,  with  fingers  clasping  his  comrade's  limbs,  he  could 
almost  feel  the  man's  sinews  crack  with  the  strain,  and 
wondered  whether  the  weight  would  be  too  much  for  him, 
whether  his  grasp  would  be  torn  from  the  coping  above,  and 
with  what  sort  of  crash  they  would  tumble  to  the  ground. 
Then,  as  nothing  happened,  he  drew  his  legs  up,  and  obtained 
a  grip  of  his  living  rope.  Another  hoist,  and  his  hand  closed 
upon  his  comrade's  hair;  but,  unheeding  the  pain  it  must 
have  given,  his  fingers  gripped  it,  and  he  pulled  without 
remorse,  and  tugged,  till,  little  by  little,  he  won  his  way  up- 
wards. Another  moment,  and  the  arm  was  within  his  reach, 
then  the  wrist,  and  with  one  last,  almost  superhuman  effort, 
he  found  himself  clambering  over  the  low  parapet.  To  turn 
and  help  his  comrade  was  his  next  duty,  and  then  both  threw 
themselves  upon  the  hard-beaten  mud,  breathless  with  their 
struggles,  but  glowing  with  excitement  and  the  feeling  of 
success. 

226 


Hemmed  in  by  the  Enemy 

"  Look  out !  Here  they  come !  "  whispered  Margetson  at 
this  moment. 

Taking  a  hasty  look  over  the  parapet,  Jim  saw  some  ten 
men  hurrying  towards  the  building,  and  at  once  flattened 
himself  upon  the  roof,  squeezing  as  close  to  it  as  he  could. 
Then  his  hand  stole  down  to  his  revolver,  and  he  drew  it 
silently.  Scarcely  had  he  done  so  when  footsteps  and  voices 
were  heard  below,  and,  though  he  dared  not  look,  he  was  well 
aware  that  the  very  shadow  which  had  proved  their  hiding- 
place  but  a  few  seconds  before  was  now  undergoing  a  thor- 
ough search,  from  which  they  could  not  have  hoped  to  escape 
had  they  not  climbed  to  the  roof. 

"  Ah,  what  is  this  ?  "  asked  one  of  the  Somali  warriors, 
suddenly  stooping  and  picking  something  up.  "  I  have  found 
a  knife,  which  I  am  sure  did  not  belong  to  our  prisoner. 
Here,  let  me  get  into  the  light  and  look  at  it." 

Following  their  comrade,  the  others  at  once  left  the  shadow 
and  went  into  the  open,  where  they  pressed  about  him,  and 
gave  vent  to  exclamations  of  anger  and  astonishment,  for  the 
prize  which  had  been  found  was  Jim's  hunting-knife,  which 
must  have  slipped  from  his  belt  during  his  efforts  to  reach 
his  position  above.  Fortunately  for  him,  however,  he  did  not 
know  more  than  a  word  of  what  was  being  said,  and  certainly 
did  not  grasp  the  meaning.  But  his  friend  did,  and  trembled 
as  he  lay. 

"I  tell  you  that  someone  else  has  had  a  hand  in  his 
escape,"  cried  the  first  speaker  again.  "  I  have  been  to  the 
coast,  and  I  say  that  this  is  a  knife  which  has  but  lately  come 
from  the  country  of  the  infidel.  Have  we  not  heard  already 
that  one  of  them  is  bound  hither  for  the  rescue  of  one  of  our 
slaves  ?  " 

"  That  is  the  case,"  was  the  excited  answer. 

22^ 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Then  this  man  has  arrived,  and  released  the  prisoner 
to-night.  They  fled  here  in  the  darkness,  and  then,  at  the 
alarm,  hastened  off  into  the  country,  where  they  will  be 
captured  to  a  certainty  by  our  brothers." 

"  And  what  if  they  have  not  done  as  you  so  wisely  guess  ?  " 
sneered  one  of  the  group.  "  Look  at  the  question  for  yourself, 
and  remember  the  short  time  which  elapsed  between  their 
leaving  the  hut  and  the  raising  of  the  alarm.  This  dagger 
tells  us  that  another  has  been  here  to  lend  a  hand,  but  it  does 
not  state  that  the  men  are  fled  to  the  hills.  More  likely  they 
are  within  hearing  at  this  moment.  Perhaps  even  lying  upon 
the  top  of  the  house  against  the  wall  of  which  the  find  was 
made.     Let  us  search  there." 

He  started  towards  the  dwelling,  intent  on  carrying  out 
his  purpose,  but  at  that  moment  the  arrival  of  another  dusky 
warrior  arrested  him,  while  a  harsh  voice  took  up  the  question. 

"  You  are  too  clever  for  this  tribe,"  said  the  new-comer, 
in  tones  which  Jim  at  once  recognized  as  belonging  to  the 
man  who  had  shouted  from  the  roof  of  the  central  building — 
in  fact,  no  other  person  than  the  Mullah.  "  In  your  foolish- 
ness you  would  send  my  followers  climbing  like  cats  to  the 
roofs,  when,  had  you  any  sense,  you  would  know  at  a  glance 
that  desperate  men  would  scoff  at  such  shelter.  Hiding  up 
there,  forsooth!  Why,  you  will  tell  us  soon  that  they  are  in 
my  house !  " 

At  this  sally  all  laughed  merrily  at  the  expense  of  the  man 
who  had  suggested  that  the  roof  should  be  searched,  and  he 
at  once  slunk  away  to  the  back  of  his  comrades,  where  he 
stood  biting  his  lips  with  anger  and  annoyance. 

"  But  show  me  this  weapon,"  continued  the  Mullah 
haughtily.  "  Ah,  it  is  English  made,  and  shows  without  a 
doubt  that  there  is  a  spy  in  our  camp,  or,  rather,  that  there 

228 


Hemmed  in  by  the  Enemy 

was  but  a  few  minutes  ago.  The  impudent  infidel  must  be 
captured,  but  take  care  of  him,  as  you  value  my  good  will 
and  your  lives,  for  I  have  need  of  prisoners.  One  day  they 
will  prove  useful,  for  when  these  dogs  advance  against  us,  we 
will  show  them  their  brothers,  and  then  slay  them  before 
their  eyes,  just  to  let  them  see  that  we  have  power  to  do  as 
we  will,  and  have  no  fear  of  them.  Then,  with  Allah  to  aid 
us,  we  will  scatter  the  enemy.  But  we  are  wasting  time. 
Off,  all  of  you,  and  search  farther  afield  for  your  man." 

He  stood  there  in  the  moonlight  watching  as  they  departed, 
and  shouted  out  to  them  a  second  warning  to  protect  the 
captives  from  harm.   • 

"  Yes,"  he  murmured  to  himself,  as  the  last  of  the  warriors 
departed,  "  keep  them  alive,  and  I  shall  make  use  of  them. 
If  we  conquer  the  British  forces,  I  can  keep  or  slay  them 
at  my  will.  If  otherwise,  and  we  fall  into  their  hands,  I  can 
still  treat  for  my  own  life  by  using  these  white  slaves  as 
hostages,  and  giving  them  up  to  their  fellows  in  exchange 
for  my  own  liberty.  It  is  in  such  ways  that  I  show  my 
power  to  lead  these  ignorant  men.  For  I  think  of  more  than 
the  needs  of  the  passing  hour,  and,  knowing  that  the  time  for 
action  arrives,  I  prepare  a  loophole  of  escape  for  myself,  which 
I  shall  use  when  all  my  followers  are  slain.  And  then " 

Deep  in  thought,  the  Mullah  walked  away  to  his  own  hut, 
and  disappeared  into  the  interior.  Not  till  then  did  John 
Margetson  allow  himself  to  break  the  silence,  for  all  this 
while  he  had  been  flattened  upon  the  roof,  scarcely  daring  to 
move,  and  yet  drinking  in  the  words  of  his  pursuers.  Now, 
however,  there  was  little  fear  of  being  overheard,  and  at  once 
shifting  his  position,  he  crept  close  to  Jim's  side,  and  nar- 
rated all  that  had  passed. 

"Jove!     What  a  narrow  squeak!"  exclaimed   the   latter. 

229 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Of  course,  I  could  not  make  head  or  tail  of  their  jabber, 
but  I  knew  that  it  referred  to  us,  and  I  can  tell  you  that  ray- 
heart  went  into  my  mouth,  for  at  any  moment  I  expected 
to  have  them  up  here.  But  all's  well  that  ends  well, — only 
this  matter  hasn't  finished  yet.  What  are  we  to  do  now?  It 
seems  to  me  that  we  have  a  little  breathing-space,  and  that 
we  had  better  make  the  best  of  it  to  hunt  about  and  ascer- 
tain what  our  surroundings  are  like,  for  this  may  not  prove 
a  very  good  hiding-place  once  the  day  dawns." 

"  We  shall  certainly  be  seen  if  we  remain,"  answered  his 
comrade,  with  conviction.  "  I  know  every  inch  of  the  spot, 
and  to-morrow,  when  the  Mullah  goes-  upon  the  roof  of  his 
dwelling  to  pray  before  the  eyes  of  all  his  followers,  he  will 
catch  sight  of  us,  and  capture  will  be  our  reward.  But  I 
can  see  no. other  way  out  of  the  difficulty." 

"  Who  lives  below  us  ?  "  asked  Jim  suddenly. 

"  Not  a  soul.  The  hut,  as  you  can  see,  is  a  very  large  one, 
and  in  it  are  stored  bags  of  dates  and  native  wine  for  the 
use  of  the  Mullah  and  his  special  favourites  when  on  the 
march.  There  are  a  few  weapons  also,  of  the  usual  muzzle- 
loading  variety,  and  occasionally  powder  and  shot,  too.  This 
I  know,  for  I  have  been  working  here  as  a  slave,  and  have 
carried  the  things  to  their  places." 

"  How  does  one  enter  ?  "  asked  Jim  again. 

"  There  is  a  door,  such  as  the  other  huts  have,  and  on  the 
farther  side  a  roughly  constructed  hole  in  the  roof,  through 
which  the  smoke  from  the  fire  below  passed.  I  suppose  it 
was  the  residence  of  a  native  chief  before  the  Mullah  came 
this  way,  and  that  he  liked  a  little  comfort.  Now,  of  course, 
no  wood  is  burnt,  and  the  aperture  is  covered  with  a  strip 
of  hide.  But  why  do  you  ask  these  questions?  It  would  be 
madness  to  go  into  the  place." 

230 


Hemmed  in  by  the  Enemy 

"  Then  what  are  to  do  ?  Suggest  some  better  plan  which 
gives  a  reasonable  hope  of  escape." 

Jim  turned  upon  his  companion  curtly,  and  demanded  an 
answer  with  no  little  impatience,  for  now  was  the  time  for 
action.    To  hesitate  was  to  become  a  prisoner. 

"  Well,  what  have  you  to  propose  ?  Shall  we  leave  this 
place,  and  make  a  dash  for  the  open  ? " 

"  It  would  be  useless,"  was  the  emphatic  answer,  given 
with  a  vigorous  shake  of  the  head.  "  I  know  the  ways  of 
these  Somali  warriors  too  well,  and  I  am  as  certain  that  we 
should  fall  into  their  hands  as  I  am  that  we  are  here.  Why, 
a  hare  could  not  hope  to  get  through  their  lines,  for  now  they 
are  arranged  three  or  four  deep,  and  if  we  crept  past  the 
first  and  went  on  our  way,  the  second,  or  a  later  one,  would 
spy  us  out,  and  come  galloping  after  us.  No,  the  attempt 
would  be  hopeless,  for  the  country  is  alive  with  their  horse 
and  foot." 

"  Then  is  there  any  other  way  ?  Would  the  river  help 
us?" 

"Had  we  a  boat  it  might,  but  without  that  we  should 
soon  fall  victims  to  the  alligators  which  abound." 

"  How  often  is  this  hut  visited  ? "  asked  Jim  quietly. 

"Perhaps  once  a  week,  and  then  not  for  a  month.  This 
is  a  reserve  store,  and  it  is  only  when  the  Mullah  is  about 
to  give  a  feast  to  his  followers  that  there  is  need  to  draw 
upon  the  contents." 

"  Then  let  us  take  our  place  amongst  the  stores,"  said 
Jim  coolly'.  "  There  we  shall  find  food  and  drink  sufficient 
to  keep  life  in  us,  and  there,  it  seems  to  me,  we  can  repose 
with  some  amount  of  safety.  After  all,  the  idea  is  a  good 
one,  for  it  offers  some  chance  of  a  hiding-place." 

For  long  John  Margetson  lay  at  his  side,  considering  the 

231 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

question  ere  he  ventured  a  reply.  Then  he  turned  slowly 
to  Jim,  and  stretching  out  his  hand  in  the  darkness,  pinched 
the  latter  sharply  upon  the  arm. 

"George!"  he  whispered,  in  tones  of  mingled  delight  and 
amazement.  "  You  are  a  regular  general.  You  ought  to 
have  been  a  scout,  or  something  of  that  sort,  for  you  are  as 
cute  and  as  slim  as  they  make  'em.  At  any  rate,  you  have 
spied  out  the  only  path  for  us.  I've  looked  at  the  matter 
from  every  point  of  view.  I  admit  that  I've  said  to  myself 
that  you  are  evidently  a  youngster  with  the  usual  impetuosity 
of  your  age,  and  that  your  schemes  were  not  to  be  listened 
to  with  much  attention.  Then  I've  tried  to  find  a  better 
plan,  and  have  failed  miserably.  At  last  I  have  come  back 
to  this  dodge  of  yours,  and,  hang  me,  it's  just  the  thing.  It's 
the  cheek  of  it,  the  impudence,  if  I  may  call  it  so,  which  will 
help  towards  its  success,  for  who  amongst  these  Somalis 
would  dream  that  we  had  elected  to  remain  in  hiding  amongst 
them?  Yes,  it's  the  very  boldness  of  it  all  that  will  make 
us  safe,  and — look  here,  I  haven't  a  ghost  of  an  idea  what 
your  age  is,  or  what  you're  like,  for  I've  only  seen  you  in 
this  moonlight,  but  after  this  you  must  take  the  helm.  You'll 
act  as  skipper,  while  I  take  my  old  place  as  mate.  Tell  me, 
what  are  you?  A  young  chap  with  a  budding  moustache, 
and  heaps  of  go ;  or  a  lad  with  scarcely  a  hair  on  his  face  ? " 

"  The  second,"  answered  Jim,  blushing  at  his  youthful 
looks,  even  though  there  was  no  fear  of  observation.  "  A  few 
weeks  ago  I  was  one  of  the  senior  fellows  at  a  public  school, 
but  now — well,  I  feel  years  older.  But  what  about  this  hut? 
If  we're  going  to  retire  to  the  interior,  the  sooner  we  do  so 
the  better." 

"  Then  we'll  disappear  at  once.  Come  along,  but  be  very 
careful  to  keep  below  the  level  of  the  parapet,  for  here  we 

232 


Hemmed  in  by  the  Enemy 

are  in  shadow,  while  if  we  stood  above  the  edge,  our  figures 
would  at  once  be  outlined  by  the  moon." 

Bearing  this  warning  in  mind,  the  two  slowly  crept  round 
the  edge  of  the  roof,  not  daring  to  take  the  shorter  cut  and 
cross  directly  to  the  other  side,  for  to  have  done  so  would 
have  been  fatal,  the  centre  of  the  enclosing  parapet  being 
brightly  illuminated.  Arrived  at  the  farther  corner,  Mar- 
getson  halted  for  a  few  seconds,  while  he  removed  the  skin 
covering.  Then  he  began  to  wriggle  his  way  through  the 
hole,  and  in  due  time  disappeared  in  the  dark  depths  below. 

"  Hold  on,"  whispered  Jim,  who  was  on  the  point  of 
following,  and,  indeed,  had  already  allowed  his  legs  to  dangle 
through  the  opening.  "  What  if  someone  happens  to  notice 
that  the  covering  has  been  removed  ? " 

"  Ah,  that  would  be  awkward,  lad.  It's  fixed  by  pegs, 
and  we  cannot  very  well  fasten  them  from  the  inside,  though 
we  could  easily  burst  them  open  if  we  wished  to  do  so." 

"  Then  how's  the  door  held  ? "  asked  Jim,  lying  down  full 
length,  and  thrusting  his  head  through  the  aperture. 

"Just  latched,  that's  all.  No  one  would  dare  to  meddle 
with  the  Mullah's  goods,  you  see.  It  would  mean  certain 
death." 

"  Very  well,"  responded  Jim.  "  I'll  fix  this  thing  up  here, 
and  then  slip  over  the  wall.  The  drop's  nothing,  and  I 
shall  not  be  seen  if  I  choose  a  moment  when  a  cloud  is  pass- 
ing over  the  moon.  Hurry  up,  for  there's  one  about  to  cross 
it  now,  and  it  won't  do  to  be  kept  waiting." 

Fumbling  about  in  the  darkness,  it  was  not  long  before 
he  had  contrived  to  cover  the  opening  in  the  roof,  and  to  peg 
the  skin  down  securely.  Then  he  waited,  with  his  eyes  upon 
the  disc  above,  and  when  it  was  clouded  by  a  dense  rnass  of 
vapour,  he  looked  to  see  that  no  one  was  near  at  hand,  and 

233 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

then  clambered  over  the  parapet  and  dropped  noiselessly 
upon  the  soil  below.  The  door  was  standing  open,  and  as  he 
entered  Margetson  closed  it  carefully  behind  him.  Then 
they  buried  themselves  in  the  darkness  of  the  interior,  care- 
fully picking  their  way  amidst  the  bundles  and  bales  which 
were  stored  there. 

"  We  shall  be  as  cosy  as  possible,"  remarked  John  Mar- 
getson, indulging  for  the  first  time  in  a  laugh.  "  Take  care 
where  you  tread,  for  otherwise  you  will  be  tumbling  into  one 
of  these  bags  of  dates,  or  kicking  against  a  skin  of  wine. 
Why,  man,  this  is  just  the  place  for  us,  for  we  have  food  at 
hand,  and  can  dine  like  gentlemen,  with  wine  to  wash  the 
stuff  down.  An  alderman  could  not  hope  for  more.  But 
supposing  these  ruffians  find  us  out !  " 

"  You  said  that  we  were  not  to  be  injured,"  answered  Jim, 
"  and  therefore  we  have  very  little  to  fear.  Let  us  make 
the  most  of  our  good  fortune,  and  be  content.  What  we 
have  now  to  think  about  is  not  the  possibility  of  capture, 
though  we  should  do  well  to  bear  that  in  mind  and  take  all 
due  precautions,  but  our  action  in  the  future.  How  are  we 
to  get  away  from  here  when  the  scent  and  search  are  less 
keen,  and  how  can  we  manage  to  take  my  father  with  us? 
There,  you  have  enough  to  keep  you  awake  all  night." 

"  It's  likely  to  prove  a  puzzling  question,  my  lad,  and  at 
present  I  can  see  no  more  daylight  through  it  than  I  can — 
well,  through  these  walls.  And  talking  of  light,  how  are  we 
to  keep  in  touch  with  the  outside  world,  and  learn  what  is 
happening?  To  attempt  to  leave  these  snug  quarters  and 
slip  cut  into  the  village  would  be  suicidal  policy.  It  would 
not  help  us  in  the  slightest,  and  would  lead  to  certain  dis- 
covery." 

"  Then  we  must  have  a  peephole,"  responded  Jim  promptly. 

234 


Hemmed  in  by  the  Enemy 

"Perhaps  there  is  one  already  in  this  hut.  Let  us  look 
round,  and  watch  for  a  ray  of  moonlight.  It  is  more  than 
likely  that  we  shall  find  something  to  suit  our  purpose  be- 
tween the  roof  and  the  walls." 

Accordingly,  both  crept  round  the  confines  of  the  building 
in  search  of  a  chink,  and  very  soon  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  would  be  little  difficulty  in  overhearing  any  con- 
versation that  might  take  place  in  the  immediate  neighbour- 
hood. Then  they  made  a  tour  of  the  place,  and  satisfied 
themselves  of  the  position  of  the  various  bales  and  bags. 

"  We'll  set  to  work  as  soon  as  there  is  a  ray  of  light," 
said  Jim's  companion,  "  and  rig  up  a  kind  of  cabin  amongst 
all  this  stuff.  If  we're  careful  to  move  only  those  which  lie 
out  of  sight  of  the  door,  we  are  not  likely  to  be  discovered. 
Then,  too,  it  ought  to  be  possible  to  leave  a  hole  here  and 
there  through  which  we  could  fire  at  the  beggars.  But  I 
am  forgetting.  You  are  the  only  one  in  possession  of  a 
weapon." 

"  I've  two,  and  you  are  welcome  to  one  of  them.  But  what 
of  the  muzzle-loaders  which  you  stated  were  kept  here? 
If  they  have  not  been  removed,  we  might  press  them  into  our 
service,  and  rig  up  a  regular  battery." 

"  It's  the  very  thing  I  meant,"  was  the  answer.  "  With 
half  a  dozen  we  could  make  these  beggars  sit  up,  and  unless 
they  managed  to  rush  us,  or  bring  the  hut  about  our  ears, 
we  could  keep  them  at  their  distance.  But  what  do  you  say 
to  a  bite  at  something?  I  own  that  I  am  precious  hungry, 
for  this  excitement  has  given  me  an  appetite;  and  then  you 
must  recollect  that  the  diet  of  a  slave  is  never  noted  for  its 
liberality." 

"I'll  join  you  willingly,"  answered  Jim  with  promptness. 
"  Let  us  borrow  a  few  of  the  Mullah's  dates." 

235 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"Yes,  and  wash  them  down  with  some  of  his  hest  wine," 
laughed  his  comrade. 

Nothing  loth,  and,  indeed,  in  the  highest  spirits  at  their 
unexpected  good  fortune,  both  at  once  went  in  search  of  a 
bag,  and  quickly  secured  a  handful  of  dates  apiece.  Then 
they  retired  to  a  point  as  far  from  the  door  as  possible,  and 
sat  down  in  comfort,  John  Margetson  dragging  a  skin  of 
wine  to  their  feet. 

Their  meal  finished,  each  indulged  in  a  draught  of  the 
fluid,  and  found  that  it  braced  them  up  in  a  marvellous 
manner. 

"  You  need  not  fear  the  consequences,"  said  Jim's  com- 
panion. "  This  wine  is  made  from  the  fat  removed  from 
sheeps'  tails,  and  is  notorious  for  nothing  more  than  for  its 
taste.  To  the  natives  it  is  a  great  luxury,  though  to  a 
stranger,  I  fancy,  it  is  anything  but  appetizing." 

"  It  has  a  most  horrid  flavour,"  answered  Jim,  "  but  beg- 
gars must  not  be  choosers.  We  have  much  to  be  thankful 
for,  and  particularly  for  these  skins  of  wine,  for  they  will 
keep  us  from  thirst.  And  now  tell  me  more  about  yourself, 
and  of  your  life  with  these  followers  of  the  Mullah." 

Making  themselves  comfortable  upon  the  floor  of  the  hut, 
the  two  sat  close  together  and  passed  the  remaining  hours 
of  the  night  in  conversation,  taking  the  precaution,  however, 
to  lower  their  tones  till  they  were  little  above  a  whisper. 
Then,  as  the  interior  of  the  dwelling  became  lighter,  and 
they  could  see  their  surroundings,  they  set  to  work  in  earnest 
to  build  a  hiding-place.  Fortunately  there  was  ample  ma- 
terial at  hand,  and  as  it  lay  at  their  feet,  the  task  was  soon 
completed.  A  search  also  quickly  brought  to  light  a  dozen 
old  guns,  which  had  probably  been  made  by  some  dishonest 
European  for  the  special  purpose  of  being  sold  to  the  Mullah. 

236 


Hemmed  in  by  the  Enemy 

But,  bad  as  they  were,  they  were  too  valuable  to  be  tossed 
aside  with  contempt.  Therefore,  having  discovered  a  small 
store  of  powder  and  shot,  the  fugitives  loaded  them  at  once, 
cramming  the  weapons  to  the  muzzle  with  slugs. 

"  That  will  do  capitally,"  said  Jim,  surveying  the  work 
when  it  was  finished.  "  These  beggars  can  come  right  into 
the  hut  without  suspecting  that  we  are  here,  for  this  place 
shelters  us.  If  they  happen  to  find  us,  we  shall  give  them 
a  warm  reception  with  the  guns,  though  at  any  other  time 
I  should  be  sorry  to  be  called  upon  to  fire  them,  for  they 
look  as  though  they  would  burst  at  the  slightest  provocation." 

"  Beggars  cannot  be  choosers,"  replied  his  comrade,  with 
a  laugh,  repeating  the  words  which  Jim  had  used  but  a  short 
while  before.  "  If  the  enemy  comes  here  with  the  intention 
of  molesting  us,  I  should  fire  fifty  of  the  muzzle-loaders,  and 
chance  a  burst  with  the  greatest  calmness.  But  we're  ready 
for  them  now;  and  as  we  have  a  moment  to  look  round, 
permit  me  to  see  what  my  young  comrade  is  like.  Up  to 
this  you  have  been  more  or  less  of  a  mystery,  for  since  the 
morning  dawned  I  have  been  too  occupied  to  take  stock  of 
you." 

Catching  Jim  by  the  arms,  John  Margetson  turned  him 
round  till  the  two  stood  face  to  face,  and  then  treated  him 
to  a  long  and  curious  stare. 

"  Yes,"  he  said  at  last,  finding  that  Jim  returned  his  gaze 
without  a  sign  of  flinching,  "  a  bold,  high-mettled  lad,  filled 
with  a  feeling  of  duty.     Shake  hands !  " 

The  request  came  so  suddenly  that  Jim  started,  but  the 
next  second  he  clasped  his  companion  warmly  by  the  fingers, 
showing  equal  eagerness  to  return  his  good  feeling. 

"  Straight  and  true,  and  sturdy  to  the  backbone,"  con- 
tinued  Margetson.     "  I   admire  you,   and  I   thank  you  for 

237 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

what  you  have  done  for  me.  Had  it  not  been  for  you,  I 
should  still  have  been  in  my  prison,  a  spiritless  slave,  doomed 
to  lifelong  serfdom.  But  now  I  am  free — free,  I  tell  you; 
and  now  that  my  liberty  is  regained,  no  one  shall  wrest  it 
from  me.  I  live  to  escape  with  you,  to  reach  friends  and  old 
England  again ;  or  I  die  fighting  for  my  life,  my  own  master 
at  the  end." 

He  ended  his  impassioned  words  with  another  squeeze  of 
Jim's  hand,  and  then,  as  if  to  hide  the  evident  excitement 
under  which  he  laboured,  turned  towards  the  door,  and, 
applying  his  eye  to  a  crevice,  stared  out  into  the  open.  As 
for  Jim,  he  was  deeply  impressed  by  his  friend's  speech,  and 
followed  him  thoughtfully  with  his  gaze.  Then  he,  too, 
took  post  at  an  aperture,  and  sought  to  discover  what  was 
going  on  outside. 

And  meanwhile,  what  of  Ali  Kumar,  and  what  of  the 
numerous  search-parties  which  had  raced  into  the  plain? 
Then,  too,  what  fortune  had  befallen  the  troop  of  horsemen 
which  had  ridden  from* the  village  in  search  of  Jim's  camp? 


238 


CHAPTER  XV 

A  CLEVER  RUSE 

While  Jim  Hubbard  and  his  friend  John  Margetson,  are 
hiding  in  the  store-hut,  let  us  return  for  a  few  moments  to 
the  coast-line. 

The  reader  will  remember  that  a  Somali  levy  had  been 
raised  and  officered  by  Englishmen  drawn  from  the  various 
line  regiments,  and  that  this  force  had  many  months  before 
marched  into  the  interior  by  way  of  Bohotle,  and,  dividing 
into  two  portions,  had  left  its  baggage,  its  reserve  ammu- 
nition and  its  camels,  in  charge  of  the  smaller  half.  He  will 
recollect  also  that  the  cunning  Mullah,  aided  by  information 
given  by  his  spies,  contrived  to  elude  the  larger  force,  and 
gloating  over  a  victory  which  he  already  counted  as  his,  had 
thrown  himself  upon  Captain  McNeill's  zareba.  Not  once, 
but  on  three  successive  occasions  was  his  frantic  onslaught 
stemmed  by  the  few  men  gathered  in  the  zareba.  So  heavy, 
indeed,  were  the  losses  amongst  the  Mullah's  following,  that 
their  enthusiasm  and  fanatical  hate  had  changed  to  dismay 
and  secret  admiration  for  these  men  whose  officers  were 
spoken  of  as  "  infidel  dogs." 

Following  upon  their  defeat  at  the  hands  of  Captain 
McNeill  and  his  tiny  garrison,  the  Mullah's  horde  was  split 
into  pieces  and  scattered  in  all  directions  by  the  larger 
half. 

But  in  Somaliland  a  holy  man  has  enormous  powers  of 
persuasion,    and   the    reader   has    already   learned   that    the 

239 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

Mullah  rapidly  gathered  his  following  together  again.  Then 
came  the  action  with  Colonel  Swayne  at  Erego,  where  the 
Somali  soldiers,  who  were  enlisted  by  the  "  Sirkal,"  turned 
tail  and  bolted,  leaving  their  comrades  to  their  fate.  From 
that  moment  adherents  had  flocked  to  the  Mullah's  banner, 
and  their  depredations  becoming  serious,  an  expedition  was 
decided  upon.  Of  this  General  Manning  was  given  the  com- 
mand, while  the  force  itself  was  to  consist  of  Indian  troops 
and  of  men  from  the  West  Coast  of  Africa. 

Stores,  rifles,  ammunition,  and  every  article  that  could  be 
thought  of,  or  that  was  likely  to  prove  of  value  in  the  coming 
march  were  collected  at  Aden  and  then  sent  over  to  Berbera. 
And  here,  when  Jim  and  his  following  passed  through  the 
town,  gigantic  preparations  were  afoot.  Already  the  troops 
had  begun  to  collect,  and  the  garrison  at  Bohotle,  which  had 
been  in  residence  for  some  months,  and  which  was  suffering 
severely  from  malaria  and  from  lack  of  supplies,  had  been 
relieved  and  replaced  by  fresh  men,  while  plenty  of  stores 
and  ammunition  for  six  months  had  been  brought  up. 

This  advance  post  having  been  placed  in  a  condition  of 
readiness,  the  eyes  of  those  who  were  responsible  for  the 
movements  of  the  troops  were  turned  in  other  directions,  for 
it  is  not  always  wise  to  concentrate  one's  forces.  A  division 
of  the  fighting  strength  which  is  about  to  invade  an  enemy's 
country  often  disconcerts  the  adversary,  for  then  he,  too, 
must  split  his  followers,  and  send  some  to  watch  and  oppose 
one  half  of  the  invaders,  while  the  remainder  marches  to  lie 
in  wait  for  the  other.  If  this  precaution  were  not  taken,  it 
would  be  a  simple  matter  for  a  well-mounted  body  of  men  to 
make  a  wide  detour,  and  carefully  timing  their  arrival  and 
attack,  to  fall  upon  the  enemy  in  the  rear,  while  their 
comrades  engaged  with  them  in  the  front. 

240 


A  Clever  Ruse 

Thus  was  Ladysmith  relieved;  for  when  Lord  Roberts, 
with  a  hastily  collected  force,  invaded  the  Orange  River 
Colony,  the  Boer  forces,  which  up  to  then  had  been  concen- 
trated about  the  heights  of  Colenso  and  the  beleaguered  camp, 
were  compelled  to  divide,  one  portion  hastening  across  the 
Drackenberg  Mountains  to  join  with  others  about  Bloem- 
fontein,  while  the  remainder,  seeing  their  hopeless  condition, 
fled  before  the  repeated  and  gallant  attacks  of  General  Buller, 
leaving  the  flag  of  old  England  still  proudly  waving  upon  the 
Town  Hall  of  Ladysmith. 

With  this  thought  of  a  diversion  in  view,  another  base 
was  looked  for,  and  Obbia,  in  the  Italian  Protectorate,  was 
selected,  the  consent  of  that  nation  having  readily  been  ob- 
tained. Then  an  arrangement  was  come  to  with  the  Abys- 
sinians  that  they  should  also  march  upon  the  Mullah,  getting 
in  behind  him,  if  possible,  so  that,  should  he  take  alarm  and 
raise  his  camp  with  the  intention  of  escaping  farther  into 
the  interior  until  the  storm  had  blown  over,  there  might 
still  be  good  hope  of  forcing  him  to  fight,  and  of  capturing 
him  and  a  goodly  portion  of  his  men. 

Many  weeks  had  been  spent  in  making  these  arrangements, 
and  so  uncertain  was  the  mind  of  those  who  had  control  of 
the  expedition,  that  at  times  it  seemed  likely  that  it  would  be 
abandoned  for  a  space.  When  Jim  and  his  friend  left  Ber- 
bera,  the  news  of  an  immediate  advance  was  in  the  air,  but 
this  was  contradicted  a  few  days  later.  Then  it  was  bruited 
abroad  again,  and  while  he  and  his  followers  were  resisting 
the  attack  of  the  tribesmen  at  the  ravine,  the  information 
became  public  property  that  within  a  short  space  of  time  the 
forces  would  actually  advance. 

•  ••*•• 

As  the  daylight  increased,  Jim  and  his  friend  went  from 

241 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

side  to  side  of  the  store-hut,  and  taking  advantage  of  the 
piled-up  date-bags,  quickly  arranged  a  convenient  look-out, 
from  which  they  could  gather  news  of  their  surroundings. 
Some  few  inches  of  space  had  been  left  between  the  roof  and 
the  supporting  walls,  whether  for  the  sake  of  ventilation,  or 
because  it  was  the  custom  of  the  builders  of  the  country,  it 
would  be  impossible  to  state.  But  there  it  was,  and,  by 
means  of  a  pile  of  bags,  the  two  Englishmen  found  a  con- 
venient way  of  reaching  it. 

"  We'll  keep  watch  from  here  all  day,"  said  Jim,  peering 
through  the  opening ;  "  then  there  will  be  no  fear  of  a  sudden 
surprise,  while  we  can  make  up  for  our  long  vigil  by  a  good 
sleep  at  night." 

"I  agree  with  you,  my  lad,"  was  the  answer.  "We  are 
in  a  fix  here,  and  unless  we  keep  our  wits  and  our  eyes 
sharply  about  us,  we  shall  certainly  fall  into  the  Mullah's 
hands.  But  here  comes  the  sun,  and  with  it  the  life  of  the 
village  will  begin." 

As  he  spoke,  the  street  which  passed  from  end  to  end  of 
the  Mullah's  stronghold  was  flooded  with  the  rays  of  the 
morning  sun,  the  edge  of  which  could  be  discerned  rising  in 
golden  splendour  over  the  crests  of  the  distant  hills. 
Scarcely  had  it  struck  upon  the  huts  and  sent  long  shadows 
slanting  across  the  ground,  when  doors  opened  in  all  direc- 
tions as  if  by  magic,  and  out  into  the  clear,  sparkling  air 
came  the  villagers.  Children  rolled  from  the  dwellings,  and 
began  their  chatter  and  play,  while  a  few  minutes  later  the 
wives  appeared,  some  with  jars  upon  their  heads,  which  they 
carried  towards  the  river,  while  others  proceeded  to  light 
fires  before  their  huts,  so  as  to  make  ready  for  the  morning 
meal. 

"  And  now  we  can  expect  to  see  the  men-folk,"  whispered 

242 


A  Clever  Ruse 

John  Margetson.  "How  well  do  I  know  their  movements, 
for  was  not  I  the  first  to  be  abroad  during  the  past  three 
years?  It  was  the  duty  of  a  slave,  and  I  carried  it  out  with- 
out failing,  for,  otherwise,  harsh  treatment  was  my  reward. 
If  you  watch,  you  will  see  the  warriors  do  not  trouble 
themselves  to  work.  The  few  who  have  failed  to  take  part 
in  last  night's  search  will  presently  appear,  strolling  from 
their  huts,  and  will  then  exert  themselves  so  far  as  to  lounge 
about  the  street.  There  is  sure  to  be  much  talk  about  my 
escape,  so  they  will  collect  together  in  groups.  Only  then, 
and  when  they  are  about  to  meet  with  enemies,  will  you  see 
them  roused  to  any  energy.  They  will  shout  to  one  another, 
and  discuss  the  question  till  a  quarrel  seems  imminent.  But 
their  anger  will  quickly  subside,  and  soon,  when  the  Mullah 
has  shaken  the  sleep  from  his  eyes,  and  climbs  aloft  beneath 
the  flagstaff,  they  will  all  turn  and  salaam  to  him,  as  becomes 
the  followers  of  such  a  holy  man.  Then  each  will  produce 
his  strip  of  carpet,  and,  turning  to  the  east,  will  follow  the 
movements  of  their  leader  as  he  kneels  and  prays  to  Allah. 

"  It  is  a  weird  and  wonderful  sight,  and  their  murmured 
1  Allah,  Allah,'  will  enchant  your  ears,  for  the  faith  and 
devotion  of  these  Somali  warriors  is  very  great.  An  infidel 
is  an  odious  sight  to  their  eyes,  and  were  it  not  that  the 
Mullah  might  obtain  value  for  my  life,  I  should  long  ago 
have  ceased  to  exist.  Often  has  this  holy  man  condescended 
to  approach  me,  and  endeavour  to  change  my  religion.  When 
persuasion  was  of  no  avail,  he  used  threats,  and  even  went  so 
far  as  to  starve  me;  but,  thank  God,  though  I  was  only  a 
poor  heart-broken  slave,  with  never  a  white  friend  to  rely 
upon,  I  remained  resolute,  and  steadfastly  kept  to  the  teach- 
ing of  my  childhood.  And  through  all  these  weary  months, 
that  alone  has  been  my  comfort.    It  has  given  me  hope  when 

243 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

all  seemed  hopeless,  and  has  taught  me  to  look  forward  to 
this  day.    But  here  they  come." 

As  he  finished  speaking,  the  crowd  of  native  women  and 
.children  which  now  filled  the  village  street  was  added  to  by 
the  appearance  of  some  hundred  Somali  warriors,  who 
emerged  in  ones  and  twos  from  their  dwellings,  all  fully 
armed,  for  none  of  these  men  dreamed  of  lying  down  to  sleep, 
or  even  of  walking  about  in  the  daylight,  without  his  weap- 
ons. Staring  at  them  through  his  peephole,  Jim  had  a 
better  opportunity  of  observing  them  than  had  ever  occurred 
before,  and  could  not  but  admire  their  height,  their  fine 
physique,  and  their  sturdy  and  independent  appearance. 

Of  those  who  lounged  before  him,  very  few  possessed  fire- 
arms, and  these  were  obviously  of  a  poor  and  obsolete  kind. 
The  remainder  bore  shields  and  spears,  while  double-handed 
swords  were  thrust  in  their  waistcloths.  A  few,  even,  carried 
bows  and  arrows. 

"  They  are  of  the  Midgan  tribe,  which  have  joined  the 
Mullah  almost  to  a  man,"  said  Jim's  friend.  "  Should  it 
ever  fall  out  that  you  are  wounded  by  one  of  their  missiles, 
be  careful  to  withdraw  the  arrow  at  once,  and  ask  a  comrade 
to  apply  his  lips  to  the  puncture,  for  it  is  reported  that  the 
tips  are  poisoned.  But  your  revolver  should  keep  them  at  a 
distance,  while  against  a  rifle  their  curious  weapons  should 
be  absolutely  useless." 

It  was  at  once  evident  that  the  exciting  incident  of  the 
previous  evening  had  had  its  effect  upon  the  warriors,  for, 
as  John  Margetson  had  predicted,  they  gathered  together 
in  clumps,  and  began  an  animated  conversation.  Then,  at 
the  suggestion  of  one  of  their  number,  they  suddenly  started 
off  to  search  the  village  and  its  surroundings  again.  For- 
tunately, however,  for  the  fugitives,  no  rain  had  fallen  for 

244 


A  Clever  Ruse 

many  days,  and  though  the  mass  of  men  congregated  just 
outside  the  store-hut  where  Jim's  knife  had  been  found,  even 
the  sharpest  eyes  failed  to  discover  a  trace  of  them,  and  it 
never  occurred  to  the  warriors  that  those  whom  they  sought 
so  eagerly  were  even  then  listening  to  their  words  with  bated 
breath. 

"Look  at  the  man  in  the  centre,"  whispered  Margetson, 
touching  Jim  upon  the  sleeve.  "  By  the  sound  of  his  voice 
that  is  the  scoundrel  who  suggested  that  this  place  should 
be  searched.  But  he  is  evidently  afraid  to  air  his  opinions 
again,  and  let  us  hope  that  the  snubbing  which  the  Mullah 
gave  him  will  keep  him  from  further  investigations.  Now 
his  head  is  turned  this  way,  and  it  is  evident  that  he  has  still 
some  fondness  for  his  own  ideas." 

"  I  confess,"  answered  Jim,  "  that  I  do  not  like  the 
appearance  of  the  fellow.  There  is  no  doubt  that  he  is  still 
suspicious,  and  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  he  came  here 
quietly  to  see  whether  or  not  he  was  right.  If  he  does,  he 
will  have  himself  to  thank  for  anything  that  may  happen 
to  him,  for  we  are  not  going  to  allow  one  man's  curiosity 
to  ruin  our  hopes." 

"  No ;  nor  shall  fifty  capture  us  without  a  struggle,  my  lad. 
Eecollect  what  I  said  about  my  liberty.  My  mind  is  fully 
made  up  to  obtain  it  at  any  price.  But  there  they  go,  and 
all  the  better,  say  I,  for  it  is  an  uncanny  and  an  uncom- 
fortable feeling  to  watch  a  crew  of  desperate  men,  such  as 
they  are,  knowing  all  the  while  that  they  are  searching  for 
one's  self." 

Satisfied  that  no  good  was  to  be  obtained  by  remaining  on 
the  spot  where  the  tell-tale  knife  had  been  discovered,  the 
Somali  warriors  went  off  to  another  portion  of  the  village, 
and,   having   peered   into   every   likely   and    unlikely   place, 

245 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

returned  to  discuss  the  question  once  more.  In  the  middle 
of  their  conversation,  however,  the  figure  of  the  Mullah 
suddenly  appeared  beside  the  flagstaff,  and  instantly  each 
man,  woman,  and  child  in  the  village  turned  and  salaamed 
deeply  to  him.  Then  they  scattered  to  their  various  houses, 
and  returning  to  any  suitable  position  from  which  their  eyes 
could  be  fixed  upon  their  leader,  while  they  faced  the  east, 
they  discarded  their  sandals  and  reverently  knelt  down  on 
their  mats.  For  long  did  the  Mullah  remain  upon  his  knees, 
and  when  he  had  finished  his  devotions,  he  rose  slowly  to  his 
feet,  stepped  from  the  carpet,  donned  his  shoes,  and  then 
salaamed  deeply.  A  moment  later  he  faced  about,  and  lifting 
his  hand  for  silence,  just  as  he  had  done  on  the  previous 
night,  he  began  to  speak  to  his  followers. 

"  There  is  no  news  of  these  infidel  dogs,"  he  cried,  "  but 
they  are  as  surely  in  our  hands  as  are  those  others  who  have 
formed  their  zareba  in  the  desert.  Soon  I  hope  to  see  those 
who  left  us  last  night  returning,  and  meanwhile  I  command 
all  who  have  not  a  duty  to  do  here  to  leave  the  village  and 
go  to  aid  them  in  their  search.  As  for  the  other  prisoner, 
that  one  who  commanded  men  belonging  to  the  British  Gov- 
ernment, and  who  is  spoken  of  in  his  own  language  as  a 
colonel,  he  must  be  removed  from  the  hut  in  which  he  now 
lies  and  be  brought  closer,  so  that  he  may  be  placed  under 
a  stronger  guard.  Not  that  there  is  any  fear  of  his  release, 
for  we  have  taken  action  so  early  that  the  plans  of  these 
impudent  people  who  have  come  to  release  him  have  been 
altogether  upset." 

In  accordance  with  the  orders  which  they  had  received, 
the  Somalis  who  still  remained  in  the  village  gulped  down 
a  hasty  meal,  and  then  mounting  their  ponies,  set  off  to  join 
their  comrades.     Some  twenty  or  more  remained  behind  and 

246 


A  Clever  Ruse 

watched  them  depart,  then,  while  four  of  them  mounted 
guard  over  the  Mullah's  residence,  the  others  proceeded  down 
the  street,  and  halted  before  a  hovel  which  stood  at  the 
farther  end. 

"  They  are  going  to  fetch  their  prisoner,"  whispered  Jim, 
keeping  his  eyes  fixed  upon  them.  "  Perhaps  I  shall  be  able 
to  see  him,  even  though  to  rescue  him  now  is  impos- 
sible. Ah,  they  have  opened  the  door,  and  some  have 
gone  in." 

"Your  father  is  certainly  there,  my  lad,"  answered  his 
companion.  "And  you  must  not  be  surprised  if  you  find 
him  changed  to  a  certain  extent,  for  he  has  had  a  hard  life 
of  it.  As  I  told  you,  he  has  never  lost  his  spirit,  and,  careless 
whether  he  lives  or  dies,  has  never  permitted  any  one  of  his 
guards  to  ill-treat  him.  Once,  even,  when  I  happened  to 
meet  him  in  the  street  when  carrying  a  message  for  the 
Mullah,  he  stopped  to  converse  with  me,  at  which  the  war- 
rior who  was  keeping  watch  upon  him  called  him  an  infidel 
and  a  dog,  and  prodded  him  with  his  spear  to  induce  him  to 
move  on.  Your  father  was  upon  him  in  an  instant,  and 
tearing  the  spear  from  his  hand,  snapped  the  shaft  across  his 
knee,  and  belaboured  the  man  till  he  bellowed.  Never  have 
I  seen  these  people  so  angered.  Indeed,  had  it  not  been  for 
the  Mullah,  who  seemed  always  at  hand  at  such  times  to 
guard  his  possessions,  they  would  have  torn  him  limb 
from  limb,  to  revenge  the  insult.  It  was  grand  to  see  how 
the  prisoner  faced  them,  spear-shaft  in  hand,  smiling  dis- 
dainfully at  their  anger,  and  almost  inviting  them  to  come 
on  to  the  attack.  By  such  doings  he  has  created  a  feeling 
of  terror  amongst  his  guards,  and  now,  whenever  he  is 
abroad,  not  one,  but  five  men  follow  him,  ready  to  throw 
themselves  upon  him  and  bear  him  to  the  ground,  should  he 

247 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

make  an  attack  upon  them.  Here  they  come,  and  you  can 
see  for  yourself  the  truth  of  what  I  say." 

As  he  spoke  those  who  had  entered  reappeared  with  their 
white  prisoner.  Then  the  whole  group  retraced  their  foot- 
steps, and  marched  up  the  centre  of  the  street.  Soon  they 
were  so  close  to  the  store-hut  that  the  features  of  every  man 
were  visible,  and  with  a  thrill  of  joy  Jim  caught  sight  of  his 
father's  face.  It  was  thinner  and  more  bronzed  than  usual, 
and  perhaps  the  hair  was  a  trifle  whiter,  but  the  prisoner  still 
wore  that  air  of  resolution  to  which  his  son  was  accustomed. 
Catching  sight  of  the  Mullah,  who  had  again  ascended  to  the 
roof  of  his  house,  Colonel  Hubbard  called  to  him  in  com- 
manding tones,  and  would  have  addressed  him,  had  it  not 
been  for  the  men  who  marched  by  his  side.  Hustling  him 
forward,  and  surrounding  him  with  a  hedge  of  spear-points^ 
they  forced  him  towards  a  circular  building,  which  seemed 
scarcely  large  enough  to  contain  a  human  being,  and  mo- 
tioned to  him  to  enter. 

Longingly^  did  Jim  watch  his  father  pass,  limping  slightly 
from  the  wound  which  he  had  received.  Had  he  dared  he 
would  have  called  out  to  him,  or  made  some  sign  so  that  the 
prisoner  should  know  that  help  was  at  hand.  But  he  knew 
that  to  do  so  would  be  worse  than  madness. 

Having  carried  out  their  orders,  the  group  of  Somali 
warriors  separated,  and  all  walked  away,  save  one,  who 
squatted  down  with  his  spear  beside  him  and  his  sword  on 
the  ground  at  his  feet,  evidently  having  been  told  off  as 
sentry.  A  little  later  one  of  his  comrades  approached,  bear- 
ing a  gun  in  his  hand,  which  he  handed  over  to  him,  together 
with  a  horn  of  powder,  and  a  goat-skin  bag  containing  slugs. 

"  That  shows  that  they  are  afraid  of  your  father,"  whis- 
pered John  Margetson,  who,  like  Jim,  had  watched  the  whole 

248 


A  Clever  Ruse 

scene  in  silence.  "  No  doubt  that  man  has  been  given  orders 
to  fire  a  gun  on  the  slightest  suspicion  of  an  attempt  at 
escape,  so  that  the  others  may  come  to  his  help.  But,  remem- 
bering the  Mullah's  words,  no  injury  will  be  done  to  their 
prisoner  if  it  can  possibly  be  avoided." 

"  I've  been  thinking  about  that,  too,"  was  the  thoughtful 
answer,  "  and  I  cannot  say  that  my  mind  is  over  comfort- 
able on  the  subject,  for  supposing  the  Mullah  were  to  hear 
to-morrow  that  my  friend,  Tom  Dixon,  and  the  followers 
who  accompanied  us  from  the  coast,  had  beaten  off  the  attack 
of  his  warriors,  causing  them  heavy  loss,  in  his  anger  he 
might  instantly  give  an  order  to  have  the  prisoner  killed. 
I  have  had  little  experience  of  these  native  people,  but 
everyone  tells  me  that  they  are  fanatical  to  a  degree,  and 
that  their  hatred  of  a  Christian  is  extraordinary.  In  these 
circumstances,  it  seems  to  me  that,  in  spite  of  the  Mullah's 
express  orders  to  the  contrary,  no  white  man  is  at  the  pres- 
ent moment  sure  of  his  life  while  a  captive  in  his  strong- 
hold." 

"  Hum !  Yes,  perhaps  there  is  some  truth  in  what  you 
say,"  replied  Margetson  slowly.  "  But  however  great  the 
anger  of  the  Mullah  might  be  on  hearing  of  defeat,  I  know 
the  rascal  too  well  to  imagine  for  a  moment  that  he  would 
allow  a  rash  and  hasty  impulse  to  prompt  him  to  seek  revenge 
at  once  by  slaying  your  father,  for  to  do  so  would  be  to  ruin 
his  hopes  of  a  hostage  in  case  he  himself  were  captured.  He 
is  a  cunning,  long-headed  fellow,  otherwise  he  would  never 
have  attained  to  his  present  position  of  prominence.  Why,  a  I 
first,  when  he  started  his  depredations,  he  was  laughed  at  by 
the  majority  of  Somalis  as  a  madman  who  would  quickly 
come  to  an  untimely  end.  But  by  giving  out  that  he  was  a 
holy  man,  this   Mahomed   Abdullah  gained   many   friends, 

249 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

and  with  these  to  help  him,  and  aided  by  an  unscrupulous 
nature,  he  punished  those  who  had  formerly  jeered  at  him 
so  severely  as  to  compel  them,  too,  to  join  his  ranks.  And 
thus,  little  by  little,  and  because  his  journeyings  to  Mecca 
have  taught  him  more  knowledge  of  the  world  and  more 
cunning  than  are  possessed  by  his  ignorant  brethren,  he  has 
steadily  increased  his  power  over  them.  But  not  for  an 
instant  has  he  allowed  himself  to  neglect  to  take  precautions 
for  his  own  individual  safety.  If  his  followers  are  success- 
ful, well  and  good,  for  his  power  at  once  increases.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  the  day  goes  against  him,  this  crafty  rogue 
will  not  grieve  for  the  fate  of  his  adherents,  will  not  care 
how  many  are  killed,  so  long  as  he  is  sure  of  his  own  safety; 
for  with  a  white  prisoner  or  more  to  offer  in  exchange,  he 
thinks  that  his  liberty  will  be  assured,  and  then  what  is  to 
prevent  him  from  again  carrying  his  banner  far  and  wide 
through  the  country,  and  raising  another  band  ? " 

"  I  can  see  your  argument  clearly,"  answered  Jim,  "  but 
tell  me  this.  However  desirous  the  Mullah  may  be  of  keeping 
his  prisoner  alive,  how  can  he  guarantee  that  his  followers 
may  not,  in  their  rage  at  being  defeated,  disobey  his  orders?  " 

"  It  is  a  danger  which  must  be  faced,  my  lad,  and  which 
I  admit  is  to  be  feared." 

"  That  being  the  case,  the  sooner  we  are  out  of  this  the 
better  for  all  of  us !  "  exclaimed  Jim  with  decision.  "  It 
seems  to  me  that  we  have  now  an  opportunity  which  may 
never  occur  again,  for  we  know  that  very  few  of  the  Somalis 
are  in  the  village  at  the  present  moment.  If  the  others  have 
not  returned  by  nightfall,  I  propose  to  slip  out,  and  by  hook 
or  by  crook  to  enter  that  hut  opposite." 

"  But  you  would  not  attempt  to  escape  ? "  whispered  John 
Margetson,  in  alarm.     "  Listen  to  me,  my  lad,  and  do  not 

250 


A  Clever  Ruse 

misunderstand  my  caution.  As  I  have  said  before,  I  owe  you 
a  debt,  and  as  a  first  instalment  towards  repaying  it  I  will 
help  you  in  this  matter  to  the  utmost,  but  think  of  the  cir- 
cumstances for  a  moment.  We  know  that  the  country  outside 
is  alive  with  Somali  warriors  in  search  of  ourselves.  It 
would  be  madness,  therefore,  to  seek  to  leave  the  village  when 
we  have  already  decided  that  here  we  are  in  comparative 
safety." 

"  I  have  thought  of  it  in  that  way,"  responded  Jim  quietly, 
his  decision  unchanged  by  his  friend's  argument.  "  And  I 
quite  agree  that  this  is  the  only  haven  for  us  just  now.  But 
why  should  we  two  make  use  of  it  alone,  whilst  father  re- 
mains over  there  in  the  hands  of  the  Mullah,  and  in  greater 
danger  of  his  life?  It  has  occurred  to  me  that  a  method 
might  be  found  for  transferring  him  to  this  place,  and  that  is 
what  I  propose  to  do  to-night." 

Some  minutes  passed  before  his  comrade  ventured  to  reply, 
but  it  was  evident  that  his  thoughts  were  fully  occupied  with 
the  question,  for  though  he  still  remained  on  his  parapet  of 
date-bags,  and  still  looked  through  his  peephole,  his  eyes 
stared  vacantly  at  the  village  street,  the  sentry  who  paced  up 
and  down  in  front  of  the  prisoner's  hut,  and  the  broad  strip 
of  flashing  silver  beyond,  which  showed  where  the  river 
flowed.  Suddenly,  however,  his  attention  was  riveted  upon 
the  river,  and  shifting  his  position  so  as  to  obtain  a  better 
view,  he  looked  long  and  earnestly  at  it,  as  though  he  had 
made  an  important  discovery.  Indeed,  so  apparent  was  this 
that  Jim,  too,  followed  his  gaze,  only  to  be  disappointed,  for 
the  surface  of  the  water  was  disturbed  by  nothing  but  a  gentle 
ripple  here  and  here  as  the  breeze  played  upon  it  and  ruffled 
it,  or  where  the  current  washed  against  a  sunken  boulder  and 
caused  an  eddy. 

251 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  What  is  it  ? "  lie  asked  in  some  astonishment.  "  Some- 
thing caught  your  eye,  but  what  it  is  I  cannot  imagine." 

"  Then  I  shall  tell  you.  You  say  that  your  father  must 
join  us  here,  and  while  agreeing  with  that,  I  placed  myself 
for  the  spaoe  of  a  few  seconds  in  the  sandals  of  these  Somali 
people.  When  they  awake  to-morrow,  to  find  their  captive 
gone,  what  questions  will  they  ask  themselves,  what  direction 
will  they  think  he  has  taken?  They  know  that  it  cannot 
be  that  which  leads  towards  the  desert,  for  their  comrades 
are  watching  out  there,  and  would  certainly  have  laid  hands 
upon  him.  Then,  where  else  could  he  have  gone?  Unless  we 
bait  a  clever  trap  for  them,  they  will  at  once  come  to  the  only 
conclusion,  namely,  that  he  still  is  here  in  hiding.  Then  they 
will  begin  to  search  every  house  in  the  village,  and  our  game 
will  be  up." 

"  That  never  occurred  to  me,"  said  Jim,  feeling  as  though 
his  hopes  had  received  a  blow.  "  But  what  trap  could  we 
prepare?  How  could  we  put  them  off  the  scent?  I  cannot 
see  in  what  way  the  river  can  help  us." 

"  But  I  can,"  was  the  ready  answer,  given  in  a  voice  of 
confidence.  "  There  are  small  dug-out  canoes  and  rafts  drawn 
up  upon  the  banks,  and  it  seems  to  me  that,  were  we  to  take 
one  of  them  and  ferry  it  across  to  the  opposite  side  and  land 
there,  stamping  our  feet  in  the  mud  so  as  to  leave  obvious 
tracks,  the  enemy  would  at  once  take  it  for  certain  that  their 
prisoner  and  those  who  had  helped  him  to  escape  had  flown 
in  that  direction.  When  the  hue  and  cry  is  raised  in  the 
morning,  someone  is  sure  to  observe  that  a  boat  is  missing, 
and  a  moment's  search  will  show  it  drawn  up  on  the  opposite 
bank.  That,  I  feel  sure,  will  be  sufficient  evidence  for  the 
Mullah  and  his  friends,  and  orders  will  be  given  for  instant 
pursuit." 

252 


A  Clever  Ruse 

"  Yes,  and  in  addition,  those  who  have  heen  sent  towards 
the  desert  will  be  called  in  again,  and  commanded  to  join 
their  comrades,"  whispered  Jim  in  tones  of  exultation.  "  It 
is,  undoubtedly,  a  splendid  plan,  and  we  will  carry  it  out,  or 
rather,  I  will  do  so,  for  one  will  be  sufficient  for  the  job. 
Having  crossed  the  river,  I  shall  swim  back  again  to  this 
side,  and  then  creep  towards  the  hut.  If  possible,  I  will  cut  a 
hole  through  the  wall  at  the  back,  but  if  the  sentry  is  too 
alert,  as  may  very  well  be  the  case,  I  shall  floor  him,  and  then 
go  in  through  the  door.    What  do  you  think  of  the  plan  ? " 

"  Capital !  It  will  do  excellently,  my  lad.  I  was  about 
to  say  that  we  should  divide  the  work,  but  it  seems  to  me 
that  one  of  us  had  best  remain  here  to  keep  watch,  and 
besides,  if  both  of  us  were  abroad,  the  risk  of  discovery  would 
be  greater.  We  shall  take  it  as  settled,  therefore,  that  you 
slip  out  to-night." 

"  One  minute,  before  we  leave  the  matter,"  said  Jim,  a 
thought  suddenly  occurring  to  him.  "  We  must  not  be  too 
sure  of  success,  you  know,  for  there  is  no  doubt  that  these 
fellows  are  thoroughly  aroused.  Supposing,  for  instance,  that 
I  were  discovered,  and  the  alarm  given.  In  that  case  I  should 
make  a  bolt  for  it,  and  should  not  dare  to  return  to  this  hut, 
for  to  do  so  would  be  to  betray  your  whereabouts.  I  should 
run  for  the  ravine  in  which  Ali  was  to  await  me,  and  from 
there  I  should  make  an  attempt  to  reach  you  both  when  things 
had  settled  down  a  little." 

"  Very  well,  then,  we  shall  take  it  as  agreed,  that  if  you 
do  not  return,  I  am  to  wait  here  until  you  do.  It  will  be 
lonely  work,  but  not  more  so  than  1  have  had  to  put  up  with 
for  tin'  past  three  years.  And  now  the  best  thing  that  we  can 
do  is  to  take  it  in  turn  to  get  some  sleep,  for  we  have  had  very 
little  of  late." 

253 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

Accordingly,  when  they  had  again  regaled  themselves  with 
dates  and  wine,  Jim  lay  down,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep. 
Three  hours  later  Margetson  took  his  place,  and  he  again 
was  aroused  after  a  similar  lapse  of  time. 

"  Time  to  be  moving,  my  lad,"  said  John  Margetson,  in  a 
low  voice,  shaking  Jim  by  the  shoulder,  shortly  after  evening 
had  fallen.  "  It  has  been  dark  for  an  hour,  and  by  the  time 
you  are  ready  the  village  will  have  settled,  for  these  folk  here 
keep  early  hours.    Up  you  get,  and  make  ready." 

In  a  moment  Jim  was  on  his  feet  once  more,  and  had  begun 
his  preparations  for  what  would,  in  all  probability,  turn  out 
to  be  the  most  daring  part  of  his  undertaking. 


254 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE   LAST   DARING   ATTEMPT 

Standing  in  the  centre  of  the  store-hut,  surrounded  by- 
darkness  which  was  so  dense  that  neither  could  see  the  other, 
Jim  and  his  friend  conversed  for  a  little  in  low  whispers. 
Then  Jim  divested  himself  of  all  but  his  waistcloth,  and 
tucking  into  this  the  folds  of  linen  which  usually  encircled 
his  head,  in  case  he  should  be  delayed,  and  should  be  exposed 
to  the  rays  of  the  sun  on  the  morrow,  he  declared  himself 
ready  to  set  out. 

"  It's  a  good  thing  to  get  rid  of  all  those  winding  sheets," 
he  said,  as  he  let  the  cotton  garment  drop  to  the  ground,  "  for 
they  make  a  man  visible  at  night  when  otherwise  he  would 
pass  unseen.  Then,  again,  by  discarding  them,  I  shall  have 
less  to  carry  when  crossing  the  river,  and  shall  dry  all  the 
quicker  afterwards.  And  that  reminds  me  that  I  must  care- 
fully leave  my  revolvers  and  ammunition  on  this  side,  for, 
unless  I  do  so,  they  will  be  drenched  with  water,  and  become 
useless." 

"  It's  a  risky  thing  to  go  without  your  weapons,  my  lad," 
said  John  Margetson,  "  and  if  you  take  my  advice,  you  will 
tie  them  to  the  top  of  your  head,  where  they  will  be  out  of 
reach  of  the  water." 

"  Thank  you,  that  is  a  better  idea,"  answered  Jim.  "  I 
shall  take  one  of  them  with  me,  and  leave  the  other  with 
you  as  I  have  promised,  dividing  the  ammunition  between 

255 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

us.  Here  it  is,  and  there  are  the  cartridges.  Have  you  got 
them  safely  ?  " 

Responding  in  the  affirmative,  Margetson  took  one  of  the 
revolvers  from  him,  and  then  placed  the  reserve  ammunition 
in  a  fold  of  his  garments. 

"I'm  ready  now,"  said  Jim  quietly.  "We  quite  under- 
stand one  another,  do  we  not  ?  If  all  goes  well,  I  return  here 
with  father;  if  not,  I  make  a  bolt  for  it,  so  as  not  to 
betray  your  hiding-place.     Later  on  I  shall  return  to  the 


rescue." 


"  That  is  the  arrangement,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Then  good-bye,"  whispered  Jim,  extending  his  hand  in 
the  darkness. 

"  Good-bye,  lad,  good-bye,  and  may  you  have  the  success 
you  deserve !  " 

A  cordial  handshake  was  exchanged,  and  then  the  two  went 
to  the  door.  The  latch  was  gently  lifted,  and  the  wicket 
pushed  open  just  tar  enough  to  allow  Jim  to  squeeze  through. 
Another  minute  and  he  was  outside,  standing  there  in  the 
darkness,  listening  a-  tin1  door  was  closed. 

"  Good-bye,"  he  heard  his  comrade  again  whisper,  and 
immediately  after  came  the  low  sound  of  woodwork  meeting 
and  a  gentle  fall  of  the  latch  as  it  dropped  into  its  old  posi- 
tion. But  Jim  made  no  movement  as  yet.  Standing  there 
beside  the  wall,  he  peered  into  the  darkness  which  surrounded 
him,  and  listened  attentively  for  some  five  minutes,  so  as  to 
make  sure  that  no  one  was  near  at  hand.  Then  he  fell  upon 
his  hands  and  knees  and  made  a  complete  circle  of  the  build- 
ing, halting  at  each  corner  to  listen  again.  But  nothing 
occurred  to  disturb  his  peace  of  mind,  for  all  in  the  village 
seemed  to  have  retired  to  rest.  Even  the  dogs  with  which  all 
native  streets  are  infested  had  disappeared  for  the  time,  and 

256 


The  Last  Daring  Attempt 

only  the  gentle  murmur  of  distant  voices  told  him  that  the 
place  was  inhabited  at  all.  Happening  to  cast  his  eyes  to- 
wards the  central  hut,  a  dim  solitary  figure  trudging  discon- 
solately up  and  down  attracted  his  attention,  while  still 
farther  to  the  left,  and  enveloped  in  a  large  blanket,  a  second 
sentry  squatted  in  front  of  the  prisoner's  door. 

"  One  on  duty  at  each  house,"  said  Jim  to  himself.  "  It 
would  be  a  difficult  matter  to  get  rid  of  the  man  who  is 
watching  father,  and  if  it  can  possibly  be  arranged,  I  shall 
make  my  way  in  at  the  back,  for  the  other  sentry  being  so 
near,  he  would  almost  certainly  hear  the  struggle  and  give 
the  alarm.    Hullo!    Who's  that?" 

As  he  spoke  his  eyes  suddenly  fell  upon  another  figure  of 
gigantic  proportions,  and  a  few  moments'  closer  observation 
assured  him  of  the  fact  that  it  was  the  Mullah  pacing  the 
narrow  roof  of  his  house.  Up  and  down  he  went  restlessly  2 
muttering  to  himself  as  if  he  were  ill  at  ease.  Then  with  one 
long  look  round  he  disappeared,  and  soon  there  was  no  one  to 
be  seen  but  the  men  on  watch. 

"  And  now  comes  my  time,"  said  Jim  to  himself.  "  I'll  slink 
away  from  here  in  the  opposite  direction  from  those  fellows, 
and  carry  out  the  first  part  of  my  undertaking.  The  night 
is  very  dark,  and  suitable  for  the  work.  But  it  is  very  still, 
and  the  fall  of  a  paddle  in  the  water,  the  mere  splash  of  a 
hand  as  one  lifts  it  to  swim,  will  be  heard  a  long  distance 
away.  That  being  the  case,  I  must  float  across,  propelling 
myself  by  kicking  out  with  my  legs  beneath  the  surface.  Now 
here  goes !  " 

Leaving  the  dense  band  of  darkness,  which  seemed  to  cling 
to  the  walls  of  the  store-house,  he  crept  stealthily  away  into 
the  night,  and,  taking  a  narrow  passage  which  ran  behind 
the  huts,  quickly  placed  some  hundred  yards  between  himself 

257 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

and  the  Mullah's  dwelling.  Then,  having  waited  again  to 
listen,  he  turned  at  right  angles  and  made  his  way  across  the 
wide  open  street  towards  the  river-bank.  As  he  walked,  feel- 
ing his  way  carefully  before  him,  for  the  darkness  was  great, 
the  ground  shelved  away,  at  first  by  degrees,  and  then  more 
suddenly,  till,  happening  to  pause  for  a  moment,  he  heard 
the  gentle  wash  of  water  just  in  front  of  him. 

"  The  river,"  he  said  to  himself ;  "  and  now  for  a  boat. 
There  are  several  lying  hereabouts,  and  I  ought  to  have  no 
difficulty  in  finding  one." 

Again  he  went  on  his  knees  in  the  mud  and  mire,  and 
groped  his  way  along  by  the  water's  edge.  Soon  his  hand 
came  into  contact  with  some  object,  and  running  his  fingers 
along  it,  he  speedily  satisfied  himself  that  it  was  one  of  the 
native  craft.  In  fact,  it  was  a  dug-out  canoe,  patched  here 
and  there  with  scraps  of  goat-skin,  and  provided  with  some 
half-dozen  paddles  of  native  workmanship,  which  lay  on  the 
bottom. 

"  I've  an  idea,"  said  Jim  suddenly,  pausing  beside  the  craft 
as  a  thought  occurred  to  him.  "  We  arranged  that  I  should 
take  one  of  these  boats  over,  but  from  that  it  would  appear 
that  very  few  had  had  a  hand  in  the  rescue  of  the  prisoner. 
!Now,  why  should  I  not  take  half  a  dozen  ?  Tie  them  by  their 
head-ropes  together,  and  then  ferry  the  whole  lot  across. 
When  I  reach  the  other  side,  I'll  detach  one  of  the  half-dozen, 
and  run  it  up  against  the  bank  so  securely  that  it  will  not  be 
carried  away  by  the  river;  then  I'll  land  and  stamp  about  in 
the  mud  till  the  whole  place  is  marked  by  footprints.  When 
that  is  done,  I'll  go  elsewhere  till  I've  got  rid  of  all  the  craft, 
and  then  I'll  return  and  go  on  with  the  other  portion  of  my 
work.  Yes,  it  sounds  to  me  very  plausible,  for  when  they 
discover  that  their  prisoner  is  gone,  the  Somalis  will  catch 

258 


The  Last  Daring  Attempt 

sight  of  six  stranded  boats  far  sooner  than  they  will  of  one, 
and,  what  is  of  far  more  importance,  they  will  think  that 
quite  a  force  of  men  has  been  in  the  village  during  the  night, 
and  will  promptly  despatch  all  their  available  followers  to  the 
far  side  of  the  river.  That  will  be  good  for  us,  for  the  smaller 
the  number  we  have  to  deal  with  the  better." 

Groping  carefully  about  in  the  darkness,  Jim  found  that 
three  of  the  native  craft  lay  side  by  side,  and  within  a  very 
short  period  he  had  loosely  knotted  the  head-ropes  together. 
Then  he  crawled  still  farther  along  the  river-bank,  and 
having  discovered  another,  pushed  it  silently  into  the  water 
and  embarked.  To  grasp  a  paddle  and  use  it  to  pole  the  boat 
along  was  a  simple  matter,  and  in  this  way,  using  every  care 
to  avoid  making  a  splash,  he  sped  silently  along,  till  a  gentle 
grating  told  him  that  the  prow  had  come  into  contact  with  the 
stern  of  another  craft.  Five  minutes  later  he  was  returning 
with  three  canoes,  allowing  the  stream  to  float  them  noise- 
lessly along  beside  the  bank.  When  he  reached  the  spot  at 
which  he  had  left  the  others,  he  stepped  into  the  river,  and, 
wading  towards  them,  tied  the  whole  six  together. 

Standing  upright  in  the  central  one  of  his  half-dozen  cap- 
tures, he  thrust  the  paddle  over  the  stern,  and,  working  it  as 
a  ferryman  often  does  when  sculling  with  a  single  oar,  he 
gradually  crossed  the  stream.  Soon  the  gentle  sound  of  bend- 
ing rushes  fell  upon  his  ear,  and  he  knew  that  he  was  at  his 
destination.  Detaching  one  of  the  head-ropes,  he  pulled  the 
canoe  well  on  to  the  bank,  and  then  trudged  backwards  and 
forwards  in  the  soft  earth,  stamping  it  with  the  imprint  of 
his  sandalled  feet  in  all  directions.  Not  content  with  that, 
he  walked  through  a  patch  of  long  grass  which  fringed  the 
bank,  flattening  the  blades  and  leaving  obvious  tracks.  There 
was  no  need  to  go  still  farther,  for  a  long  stretch  of  rocky  and 

259 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

hard  soil  ran  away  from  the  river,  and  upon  this  nothing  but 
the  hoofs  of  horses  would  have  made  any  impression. 

Six  times  in  succession  did  he  repeat  the  process,  and 
then,  having  satisfied  himself  that  the  signs  upon  the  bank 
were  ample,  he  embarked  again  and  pushed  off,  allowing  the 
stream  to  carry  him  where  it  liked. 

"  There  is  a  white  line  farther  down,"  he  said  to  himself, 
peering  through  the  darkness ;  "  and  I  remember  that  from 
the  storehouse  we  could  see  a  spot  where  the  water  was 
broken  and  tumbled.  If  possible,  I  shall  jam  this  boat  among 
the  rocks,  and  then  it  will  look  as  if  it  had  broken  loose  from 
the  farther  bank.    Ah,  here  we  are !  " 

Before  starting  out  he  had  been  careful  to  wrap  his  revolver 
and  ammunition  in  the  long  strip  of  calico  which  usually  did 
service  as  a  head-covering,  and  this  he  had  tied  firmly  in 
position  with  the  weapon  at  the  crown  of  his  head  and  the 
knot  beneath  his  chin.  Certain,  therefore,  that  there  was  no 
danger  of  damaging  them  by  immersing  them  in  the  water, 
he  slipped  over  the  edge  of  the  boat  at  once,  and,  swimming 
beside  it,  directed  it  towards  the  centre  of  the  white  line 
which  he  had  observed.  Soon  his  hand  came  into  contact  with 
a  large  boulder,  which  was  covered  with  slippery  moss, 
and  upon  the  upper  edge  of  which  was  a  jagged  inden- 
tation. 

"  Just  the  thing,"  he  murmured,  holding  on  firmly,  so  as 
not  to  be  swept  away,  for  the  stream  at  this  point  came  down 
with  great  force  and  rapidity.  "  I'll  pull  her  on  to  this  until 
she's  fast,  and  then  swim  ashore." 

Easy  though  the  task  seemed,  it  taxed  his  strength  to  the 
utmost,  for,  caught  by  the  mass  of  water  which  swirled  about 
her,  the  native  craft  proved  a  fractious  thing  to  deal  with. 
She  wabbled  from  side  to  side,  and  then,  just  as  her  nose 

260 


The  Last  Daring  Attempt 

was  in  the  right  position,  her  stern  floated  out,  and,  being 
broadside  on,  she  was  borne  down  on  to  the  white  line  of  surf, 
where  she  remained  for  a  moment  jammed  against  the 
boulders.  But  Jim  was  not  the  lad  to  be  easily  beaten,  and, 
realizing  the  difficulty  before  him,  he  waited  for  one  moment 
to  obtain  a  firm  foothold  in  the  shallow  water,  and  then 
bending  beneath  the  craft,  lifted  it  clear  from  the  river. 
Then  he  gently  lowered  it  into  the  position  which  he  had 
selected,  and,  having  satisfied  himself  that  it  was  securely 
fastened  there,  he  turned  and  began  to  swim  with  long  steady 
strokes  towards  the  bank. 

"  And  now  for  the  second  part  of  the  undertaking,"  he  said 
breathlessly,  drawing  himself  gently  from  the  river,  and  lying 
down  upon  the  mud  to  rest.  "  I'll  keep  straight  up  the  street, 
in  the  shadow  of  the  huts,  and  when  I  get  within  sight  of  the 
one  which  shelters  father,  I  shall  wait  a  few  minutes  to  see 
whether  the  sentry  is  wakeful  or  not.  If  all  is  quiet,  I  shall 
go  to  the  back  and  endeavour  to  cut  my  way  through  the 
wall." 

Accordingly,  as  soon  as  he  had  recovered  his  breath  and 
regained  his  strength,  for  the  exertion  of  placing  the  boats  in 
position  had  been  by  no  means  light,  he  rose  to  his  feet  again, 
and  slowly  made  his  way  up  the  village  street.  Arrived 
within  some  ten  yards  of  the  building  which  stood  opposite 
to  the  Mullah's  house,  he  crouched  in  the  shadow  of  a  wall, 
and  remained  there,  peering  into  the  darkness.  At  first  there 
was  not  a  soul  to  be  seen  in  that  direction,  though  when  he 
looked  a  little  farther  to  the  right  the  reflection  of  the  watch- 
fire,  which  seemed  to  burn  continuously,  caught  his  eye,  and 
against  it,  dimly  silhouetted,  and  looking  ^imstly  and  unreal, 
was  the  figure  of  the  warrior  who  kept  watch  over  his  leader. 
He  was  a  tall,  athletic-looking  man,  and  seemed  at  the  mo- 

261 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

ment  to  be  lost  in  reverie,  for  he  grasped  the  shaft  of  his 
long  spear  near  its  cruel  metal  point  with  both  hands,  and 
held  his  head  bent  forward.  So  still  did  he  stand,  and  so  easy 
and  graceful  was  the  poise  of  his  muscular  limbs,  that  Jim 
might  well  have  been  gazing  at  a  finely  carved  statue  of  a 
Hercules.  For  five  minutes  his  eye  rested  upon  the  man  as  if 
fascinated,  and  then  of  a  sudden,  as  the  breeze  stirred  the 
folds  of  the  flag  which  flew  from  the  roof  above,  causing  it  to 
flutter  gently,  the  man  awoke  from  his  dream  with  a  start, 
and  began  to  pace  restlessly  up  and  down. 

"  Number  one,"  said  Jim  quietly  to  himself ;  "  he  evidently 
fears  no  surprise,  and  should  give  no  trouble  at  all.  And 
now  for  the  other  fellow." 

Some  minutes  passed  before  he  was  successful  in  discerning 
the  outline  of  the  Somali  posted  in  front  of  the  prisoner's 
door,  but  by  turning  his  eyes  away  from  the  reflection  of  the 
fire,  he  was  at  length  able  to  make  out  a  huddled  figure 
crouching  upon  the  ground,  and  apparently  slumbering 
deeply. 

"  Nothing  could  be  better  for  me,"  murmured  Jim,  in  tones 
of  satisfaction.  "  If  he  will  remain  like  that,  and  the  other 
fellow  continue  to  pace  up  and  down,  I  ought  to  get  into  the 
hut  without  much  trouble." 

Pausing  for  a  second  or  two  to  assure  himself  that  his 
revolver  was  in  position,  he  left  the  shadow  of  the  wall,  and 
slowly,  and  with  the  greatest  caution,  crept  across  the  open 
space  which  intervened  between  himself  and  his  goal.  At 
last  he  touched  the  wall  of  the  hut,  and  at  once  prepared  to 
carry  out  his  design.  And  now  for  the  first  time  he  realized 
the  loss  of  his  hunting-knife,  which  he  had  dropped  when 
clambering  to  the  top  of  the  store-house.  Without  it,  and  in 
the  absence  of  something'  with  which  to  chip  a  hole  in  the 

262 


The  Last  Daring  Attempt 

wall,  he  was  helpless,  and  at  the  thought  a  feeling  of  despair 
came  over  him. 

"  What  an  idiot  I  am !  "  he  murmured,  while  tears  of  vexa- 
tion filled  his  eyes.  "  I  ought  to  have  thought  of  this  before, 
as  any  baby  would  have  done.  But  it  never  occurred  to  me, 
and  this  is  the  result  of  my  carelessness.  But  father  shall 
not  suffer ;  for  if  I  cannot  make  my  way  to  him  through  here, 
I  will  do  so  through  the  door,  and  chance  discovery." 

With  this  object  in  view  he  slowly  crawled  round  the  hut 
towards  the  place  where  the  only  entry  was  situated,  and  soon 
the  sleeping  sentry  came  into  view  as  he  crouched  some  three 
or  four  paces  in  front  of  the  hut. 

"  What  is  that  ? "  Jim  asked  himself  the  question  with  a 
start  of  surprise,  and  with  a  sudden  feeling  of  reviving  hope, 
for  now  again  he  was  looking  in  the  direction  of  the  watch- 
fires,  which  not  only  aided  him  in  locating  the  position  of  the 
sentry,  but  also  showed  something — a  glimmer  upon  the 
ground  where  there  should  have  been  darkness  alone. 

"  Was  it  the  sword  which  the  sentry  placed  beside  him 
before  he  fell  asleep,  or  was  it  merely  some  stray  piece  of 
metal  upon  which  the  firelight  fell?" 

Lying  there  full  length  in  the  shadow,  Jim  thought  the 
matter  out,  and  finally,  emboldened  by  the  fact  that  the  man 
made  no  movement,  and  by  the  recollection  that  iron  was  a 
metal  of  great  value  to  the  Somalis,  and  was  not  likely  to  be 
flung  carelessly  about,  he  left  his  position,  and  advanced 
stealthily  like  a  cat  about  to  pounce  upon  its  prey.  It  was 
a  moment  of  excitement,  for  as  he  neared  the  man,  keeping 
his  eye  fixed  all  the  while  upon  him,  some  alteration  in  the 
reflection  of  the  watch-fire  caused  him  to  turn  his  head,  and 
there,  stalking  into  the  darkness  as  he  walked  his  solitary 
beat  about  the  Mullah's  hut,  came  the  warrior  who  kept  watch 

263 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

there.  Again  his  figure  was  silhouetted  sharply,  and,  in  spite 
of  his  dangerous  position,  Jim  found  himself  vaguely  won- 
dering what  was  the  man's  height  and  age,  and  what  kind 
of  an  athlete  he  was.  Indeed,  so  strangely  does  one's  mind 
wander  in  the  most  hazardous  circumstances,  that  straight- 
way Jim's  thoughts  carried  him  back  to  the  football  field  at 
school,  and  in  a  senseless  way  he  began  to  find  a  place  for  this 
brawny  warrior  in  the  team.  But  a  moment  later  the  man 
had  vanished  into  the  reflection  of  the  flames  again,  and 
there  was  the  slumbering  sentry  upon  whose  sword  he  had 
designs.  Two  paces  forward,  and  Jim's  fingers  lit  upon  the 
handle,  and  began  slowly,  cautiously,  to  withdraw  the 
weapon. 

The  sleeper  stirred,  and  ground  his  teeth,  as  though  his 
dreams  were  not  of  the  sweetest,  then  he  awoke  with  a  start, 
and  raised  his  head.  But  he  was  quickly  reassured,  for 
again,  trudging  from  the  dim  light  beyond  into  the  darkness, 
came  his  comrade,  head  poised  proudly  in  the  air,  and  spear 
resting  upon  his  shoulder.  With  a  grunt  of  satisfaction  the 
man  behind  whom  Jim  lay  settled  his  head  upon  his  breast 
once  more,  and  gave  himself  up  to  sleep  without  restraint. 

A  minute  later  our  hero  was  behind  the  hut,  and  with 
the  weapon  grasped  in  both  hands  was  attacking  the  wall 
fiercely,  as  though  life  itself  depended  upon  his  exertions. 
Chip !  chip !  At  every  thrust  the  point  of  the  steel  bit  into 
the  hard  sun-baked  clay,  and  sent  splinters  of  it  flying.  An- 
other lunge,  and  a  mass  of  the  material  detached  itself  and 
fell  to  the  ground,  with  a  sound  which,  though  not  loud, 
caused  Jim  suddenly  to  stop  his  efforts  and  crouch  again, 
fearful  that  he  had  been  overheard.  But  a  glance  round  the 
corner  of  the  building  showed  him  the  sentry  still  asleep,  with 
his  comrade  continuing  upon  his  round. 

264 


The  Last  Daring  Attempt 

Chip!  chip!  chip!  Resuming  his  labours,  Jim  kept  prod- 
ding at  the  wall  till  quite  a  respectable  amount  had  fallen. 
Then  of  a  sudden,  as  he  gave  a  still  stronger  thrust,  he  felt 
the  mass  before  him  give  way,  and  the  point  of  the  weapon 
went  through  into  the  interior  with  a  grating  sound. 

Had  anyone  heard  the  noise?  Was  that  someone  stir- 
ring? Perhaps  it  was  the  prisoner,  his  dear  father,  who 
had  guessed  that  rescue  was  at  hand;  or  perhaps  it  was  the 
sentry. 

Something  fell  upon  Jim's  listening  ear,  and  instantly  he 
suspended  his  labours,  and,  crouching  at  the  foot  of  the  wall, 
waited  to  see  what  would  happen. 

Yes,  it  was  undoubtedly  the  man  who  had  been  sleeping 
before  the  door;  for  suddenly  a  stooping  figure  came  shuffling 
round  the  building,  peering  suspiciously  into  the  darkness,  as 
if  something  had  disturbed  his  rest  and  caused  alarm. 

Would  he  be'seen?  Was  it  possible  that  by  lying  flat  there 
upon  the  ground  he  could  have  escaped  the  attention  of  the 
Somali  warrior  ?    And  if  not,  then  how  was  he  to  act  ? 

Rapidly  did  Jim  allow-  the  thoughts  to  flash  across  his 
mind,  and  then,  before  an  answer  could  come  to  him,  indeed 
long  before  he  could  collect  his  scattered  wits,  the  man  sud- 
denly caught  sight  of  him,  and,  raising  himself  erect,  pre- 
pared to  shout  an  alarm.  There  was  no  time  for  hesitation, 
for  had  a  sound  escaped  the  lips  of  the  sentry,  flight  for  the 
prisoner,  for  Jim,  and  for  John  Margetson,  would  have  been 
out  of  the  question;  their  fate  would  have  been  hopelessly 
sealed.  And  therefore,  prompted  by  the  danger,  and  scarcely 
realizing  how,  Jim  sprang  upon  the  man,  and,  grasping  him 
by  tbe  throat  with  one  hand,  plunged  his  weapon  into  his 
chesl.  Twice  in  succession  did  he  deliver  the  blow,  and  I  lieu, 
still  clutching  his  opponent,  he  fell  with  him  to  the  ground, 

265 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

and  lay  there,  overcome  by  his  feelings  and  by  the  narrowness 
of  his  escape. 

"  If  the  second  man  has  heard  the  struggle,  we  are  done 
for,"  gasped  Jim.  "  But  perhaps  he  was  on  the  farther  side 
of  the  Mullah's  house,  and  if  so,  he  may  be  unaware  of  the 
fate  which  has  befallen  his  comrade.  But  supposing  he 
notices  his  absence  and  comes  to  find  him  ?  " 

The  thought  set  him  trembling,  for  he  was  thoroughly  un- 
hinged by  the  events  of  the  last  few  moments.  As  he  reflected 
upon  the  matter,  however,  and  realized  how  much  depended 
upon  his  coolness  and  decision,  resolution  came  to  him  at 
once,  and  straightway  rising  to  his  feet,  he  tumbled  the  body 
of  the  dead  warrior  on  one  side,  and  took  possession  of  his 
blanket.  Then  casting  its  folds  about  him,  resting  the  man's 
spear  jauntily  upon  his  shoulder,  and  carrying  the  sword  in 
one  hand,  he  began  to  saunter  round  the  dwelling.  A  few 
paces  brought  him  to  the  front,  where  he  caught  sight  of  the 
second  man  walking  slowly  upon  his  beat,  and  approaching 
him  from  the  farther  side.  And  now  was  the  time  when 
Jim's  courage  was  tested  to  the  utmost.  Had  he  shown  any 
fear,  or  had  he  turned  about  in  the  foolish  endeavour  to 
escape  the  attention  of  the  sentry,  all  his  plans  would  have 
been  upset.  The  impulse  was  there  to  make  him  cast  his 
blanket  to  the  ground  and  fly  for  his  life;  he  felt  the  longing 
to  get  away  from  the  place,  to  free  himself  from  the  danger, 
and  then,  putting  the  temptation  aside,  he  boldly  stepped 
onwards,  and,  arriving  opposite  the  door,  paused  to  look 
sleepily  about  him. 

"  The  night  is  dark,  comrade,  and  it  is  lonely  work  tramp- 
ing hither  and  thither,"  said  the  tall  warrior,  coming  to  a  halt 
some  feet  away  from  him.  "  This  watching  is  a  weary  trial, 
and  my  heart  sickens  at  it.    Rather  would  I  be  abroad  with 

266 


JIM   SPRANG   UPON    THE   MAN. 


The  Last  Daring  Attempt 

my  brothers  in  search  of  the  runaways,  or,  better,  galloping 
upon  my  horse  against  the  zareba  which  the.  insolent  invader 
has  erected  on  the  fringe  of  the  desert.  It  maddens  me  to 
know  that  our  warriors  are  fighting  there,  and  that  at  this 
moment  they  are  rushing  to  the  attack  with  victory  before 
them.  And  then,  what  loot!  The  man  who  came  hither 
from  the  farther  side  of  the  Hoad,  and  who  was  once  a  fol- 
lower of  the  infidel,  has  told  us  of  the  camels  and  horses  that 
accompanied  the  expedition,  and  of  the  rifles  and  ammunition. 
My  mouth  waters  at  the  thought  that  one  of  these  guns  might 
fall  into  my  hands,  for  with  it  I  feel  that  I  alone  could  beat 
back  these  British  troops  who  are  tc  advance  against  us.  But 
an  evil  fate  has  placed  me  here  to  keep  watch  when  there  is 
no  need  for  it.  In  these  peaceful  times,  and  when  no  danger 
is  to  be  feai'ed,  the  old  women  of  the  village  could  carry  out 

the  duties  as  well,  and  better  than  I.    However Hark! 

Listen  to  that!  You  hear  the  faint  and  distant  sound  of 
firing  which  reaches  us  upon  the  still  night  air.  Did  I  not 
say  that  our  comrades  were  even  now  advancing  to  the 
attack?" 

As  he  spoke,  Jim  stood  still,  looking  at  him,  and  puzzling 
his  brains  to  know  how  to  act.  That  the  man  was  addressing 
him  he  fully  realized,  but  whether  asking  a  question  or 
merely  making  a  few  commonplace  remarks,  he  could  not 
guess,  as  he  did  not  understand  the  language.  To  have  at- 
tempted to  respond  would  have  been  sheer  madness,  and  yet 
what  was  he  to  do?  Happily  for  him,  a  gust  of  wind  swept 
along  the  village  street  at  this  instant,  and,  falling  upon  the 
watch-fires,  sent  a  burst  of  smoke  and  embers  whirling  in  his 
direction.  A  second  later  a  fit  of  coughing  took  hold  of  him, 
and  leaning  upon  his  spear,  he  struggled  with  it  till  the  tears 
were  forced  to  his  eyes.    Then,  as  if  that  had  been  sufficient 

267 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

answer,  he  yawned  loudly,  and  began  to  trudge  the  beat 
again,  till  the  hut  hid  him  from  the  sentry.  No  sooner  was 
he  out  of  sight  than  he  ran  to  the  other  side,  and,  throwing 
himself  upon  the  ground,  crept  to  the  end  of  the  wall  and 
looked  out  across  the  open  space  which  separated  him  from 
the  Mullah's  residence.  There  was  the  warrior  who  had  just 
addressed  him,  still  standing  in  a  listening  attitude;  but 
whether  he  was  surprised  at  his  comrade's  action  or  not,  it 
was  impossible  to  state.  However,  that  his  suspicions  had 
not  been  aroused  was  quickly  evident,  for,  coughing  and 
spluttering,  as  a  second  gust  swept  the  smoke  in  his  direction, 
he,  too,  moved  away,  and  had  soon  disappeared  from  sight. 

"  Now  is  my  opportunity,"  thought  Jim,  "  and  I  shall  never 
have  another  like  it.  Whilst  he  is  behind  the  Mullah's  house 
I  must  make  a  rush  for  the  prison,  and,  by  George,  I'll 
doit!" 

Darting  round  the  angle  of  the  wall,  he  undid  the  fasten- 
ings of  the  door  and  slipped  into  the  hut.  He  had  just  time 
to  pull  the  door  to  when  the  sentry  came  into  sight  again. 
But  nothing  had  disturbed  him,  that  was  apparent,  for  he 
continued  his  leisurely  walk  without  a  pause  and  without  a 
glance  in  the  direction  of  his  comrade. 

"  Father !  Father !  Where  are  you  ?  I'm  here,  your  son, 
Jim,  come  to  help  you,"  whispered  our  hero,  repeating  almost 
the  same  words  as  he  had  used  when  making  the  acquaint- 
ance of  John  Margetson. 

There  was  a  movement  at  the  end  of  the  hut,  and  he  could 
hear  someone  stir,  but  for  more  than  a  minute  there  was  no 
other  sound.  Then  a  voice  broke  the  stillness,  and  a  question 
was  asked  in  tones  with  which  Jim  was  familiar. 

"  Who  is  that  ?  Did  someone  say  '  Jim  ? '  My  boy  whom 
I  left  away  in  old  England  ?  " 

268 


The  Last  Daring  Attempt 

"  Hush !  Yes,  I  am  here.  Don't  make  a  sound  for  your 
life,  father!     I  shall  come  close  up  to  you." 

Creeping  across  the  hard-beaten  floor,  Jim  groped  his  way 
through  the  darkness,  and  very  soon  found  himself  beside  the 
prisoner.  Their  hands  met  in  a  firm  and  loving  clasp,  while 
each  kissed  the  other  affectionately  upon  the  cheek. 

"My  boy!  My  dear,  dear  lad!"  was  all  that  Colonel 
Hubbard  could  say  for  some  minutes.  "  Who  could  have 
thought  it  possible?  Who  would  have  dreamt  that  such  a 
thing  could  have  occurred?  It  seems  incredible,  and  I 
cannot  believe  that  it  is  true.  But — yes,  I  am  pressing  your 
hand,  and  I  know  by  your  voice  that  it  is  really  you.  Thank 
God  that  you  have  come !  " 

"  I'm  here  right  enough,"  whispered  Jim,  feeling  already 
as  though  a  load  had  been  removed  from  his  mind.  "  But, 
now  about  escaping.  I  am  in  disguise,  and  have  come  here 
from  the  store-hut  of  the  Mullah,  which  is  close  at  hand. 
There  John  Margetson  and  I  have  been  hiding,  and  it  is  to 
that  spot  that  I  intend  to  take  you  now." 

"  John  Margetson !  I  know  him  well,  for  we  met  on  more 
than  one  occasion.  How  comes  it  that  you  have  made 
his  acquaintance,  my  lad?  Are  you,  then,  a  prisoner, 
too?" 

"  No,  father,  but  I  found  my  way  to  his  hut,  thinking  that 
you  were  there,  and  that  the  Mullah  possessed  only  one  white 
slave.  It  was  a  bitter  disappointment,  but  this  makes  up  for 
it  all.  Now  I  hope  to  carry  both  of  you  away  with  me  to  our 
zareba,  which  lies  away  on  the  fringe  of  the  desert." 

"  Rescue  us  both !  Zareba !  I  don't  understand ;  I  am 
bewildered!"  exclaimed  Colonel  Hubbard,  still  pressing  his 
son's  hand.  "  But  you  must  tell  me  all  about  it  later  on ;  for 
the  present,  let  me  know  what  I  am  to  do,  for  I  am  completely 

269 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

in  your  hands.  What  is  this  store-house?  And  why  should 
we  retire  to  it  ? " 

Placing  his  lips  close  to  his  father's  ear,  Jim  hurriedly 
whispered  an  account  of  his  recent  doings,  and  told  him  how 
it  was  that  the  store-house  had  been  pressed  into  their  service. 

"  And  now,  father,"  he  continued,  "  it  only  remains  for  us 
to  escape  from  this  without  observation,  and  reach  John  Mar- 
getson.  If  we  are  only  successful  in  that,  we  have  arms  and 
ammunition  there  which  will  enable  us  to  protect  ourselves 
if  necessary,  and  make  a  good  fight  for  our  lives;  and,  in 
addition,  I  have  just  arranged  a  ruse  which  should  send  these 
Somalis  off  to  pursue  us  in  the  wrong  direction.  If  they  fall 
into  the  trap,  we  shall  say  good-bye  to  this  village,  and  make 
our  way  to  the  zareba.    Are  you  ready?" 

"  Keady,  ay,  and  willing." 


270 


CHAPTER   XVII 

A   DASH    FOR   LIBERTY 

For  some  little  while  Jim  and  his  father  sat  close  beside 
one  another  with  heads  touching,  conversing  in  whispered 
tones,  for  it  was  necessary  that  the  prisoner  should  be  in- 
structed precisely  how  to  act  when  they  were  outside  the  hut. 

"  You  must  tell  me  what  I  am  to  do  clearly  and  concisely, 
my  boy,  for  I  am  entirely  in  your  hands,"  whispered  the 
colonel.  "It  seems  strange  that  I,  who  have  always  prided 
myself  upon  my  resourcefulnss,  and  who  have  always  been 
the  leader  when  you  and  I  have  been  together,  should  give 
place  to  you.  But,  then,  you  see,  you  have  all  the  strings  in 
your  fingers,  and  know  exactly  which  one  to  pull,  and  when 
to  let  go  your  hold.  Indeed,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to 
gather  in  these  few  seconds,  you  have  shown  yourself  to 
possess  a  master's  mind.  But  come,  let  us  be  going,  for  I 
dread  that  at  any  moment  an  alarm  may  be  given,  and  then 
we  can  scarcely  hope  to  escape." 

"  You  understand,  then,  father,  that  you  follow  me  closely 
out  of  the  hut,  and  slip  to  the  back  of  it.  I  shall  wrap  the 
blanket  about  my  shoulders  and  march  round  and  round,  to 
put  the  other  sentry  at  ease.  Then  we  shall  disappear  into 
the  darkness,  and  I  shall  lead  the  way  to  our  rendezvous.  It 
will  not  be  long  before  my  absence  will  be  noticed.  Then,  no 
doubt,  the  Somali  sentry  will  discover  the  body  of  his  com- 
rade and  your  flight.  But  they  can  kick  up  as  much  row 
as  they  like,  for  we  shall  be  in  hiding,  and  even  if  we  were 

271 


In  the  Grip  or  the  Mullah 

discovered,  we  have  sufficient  guns  with  us  to  make  a  tough 
fight  of  it." 

"  Depend  upon  it,  we  will,"  was  the  colonel's  hearty 
response.  "  Put  a  weapon  into  my  hand,  and  I  will  cause 
them  to  regret  the  day  when  they  first  made  me  captive. 
This  Mullah  and  his  followers  shall  find  that  their  slave  has 
strength  for  fighting,  as  well  as  for  chopping  wood  and  draw- 
ing water." 

"  That  reminds  me,  father.  Here  is  the  sentry's  sword. 
Take  it,  for  you  may  perhaps  require  something.  I  have  the 
spear  and  my  revolver." 

Having  settled  their  arrangements,  the  two  rose  to  their 
feet,  and  silently  crept  to  the  door.  Then  Jim  gently  pushed 
it  open  a  few  inches,  and,  thrusting  his  head  out  at  the 
bottom,  looked  in  the  direction  of  the  Mullah's  house.  Strid- 
ing stalwartly  out  of  the  firelight,  as  he  had  done  so  often 
before,  came  the  athletic  watchman,  his  spear  swinging  easily 
over  his  shoulder,  and  his  head  held  well  in  the  air.  That  he 
was  unsuspicious  of  the  events  which  had  happened  so  close  at 
hand  was  evident,  for  as  he  walked  he  hummed  a  dismal 
native  air  in  the  sonorous  tones  common  to  these  people,  while 
his  thoughts  were  undoubtedly  far  away.  Most  likely  he  was 
still  thinking  of  his  comrades  who  were  attacking  the  infidel 
zareba,  for  he  paused  every  now  and  again  to  listen,  and 
stopped  his  song,  only  to  be  disappointed,  however,  and  take 
to  his  lonely  beat  again  with  an  impatient  stamp  of  his 
foot. 

Now  was  the  time  for  the  fugitives,  for  the  Mullah's  hut 
suddenly  cut  off  the  warrior's  figure.  The  next  instant  Jim 
pushed  the  door  open  quietly,  and  stepping  out,  stood  there 
while  his  father  emerged.  Then,  as  the  colonel  darted  round 
the  hut,  Jim  placed  the  blanket  about  his  shoulders,  and, 

272 


A  Dash  for  Liberty 

walking  some  distance  to  the  left,  waited  for  the  appearance 
of  the  sentry  again.  The  instant  he  caught  sight  of  him  he 
began  to  saunter  forward,  and  yawned  deeply  again,  as 
though  he  had  only  just  awakened  from  a  sleep  in  which 
he  had  indulged  on  the  farther  side  of  the  building. 

Three  times  in  succession  did  Jim  make  the  complete 
circle,  slouching  round  as  though  the  effort  were  too  much  for 
him.  Then,  as  he  came  opposite  his  father  again,  he  tossed 
the  blanket  to  one  side,  and,  catching  him  by  the  arm,  drew 
him  away  towards  the  village. 

"  Now  for  the  store-hut,"  he  said  in  an  exultant  whisper, 
feeling  as  though  all  their  difficulties  were  ended.  "  Come 
this  way  along  the  dark  side  of  the  street,  and  when  we  halt, 
lie  down  in  the  shadow  of  the  wall,  for  it  will  be  as  well  to 
see  that  we  are  not  followed.  After  that,  all  we  have  to  do  is 
to  slip  across  the  street,  open  the  door,  and  enter." 

"  As  simple  as  A,  B,  C,  old  boy.  Lead  the  way,  Jim,  and 
you  can  rely  upon  my  following  your  orders.  Now,  on 
you  go ! " 

Pressing  forward,  Jim  quickly  made  his  way  along  the 
darkest  side  of  the  village  street,  and,  ere  many  minutes  had 
passed,  had  reached  a  spot  which  was  exactly  opposite  to  the 
store-hut.  And  here,  in  accordance  with  the  directions  which 
he  had  already  given,  he  threw  himself  flat  upon  the  ground. 

"  Good !  "  he  whispered,  when  some  little  time  had  passed 
without  a  sound  having  disturbed  the  silence.  "  No  one 
suspects  us,  so  we  may  make  ready  to  cross  the  street." 

"  Hu-s-s-sh!  Keep  your  eyes  open,"  came  his  father's  voice 
at  that  moment  in  warning  tours,  while  his  hand  gripped 
Jim  by  the  arm,  and  steadily,  and  with  every  caution,  pushed 
it  in  a  direction  which  pointed  t<>  a  spot  across  the  street  and 
elightly  to  the  left.    Instantly  Jim's  ryes  turned  to  the  place, 

273 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

and  peering  into  the  darkness,  he  quickly  became  aware  of 
the  fact  that  a  stealthy  figure  was  moving  there. 

"Was  it  the  sentry  who  had  suddenly  discovered  the 
absence  of  his  comrade  and  the  flight  of  the  prisoner,  or  was 
it  some  other  native  of  the  village,  whose  suspicions  had  been 
aroused  in  some  unforeseen  manner  ? "  Jim  asked  himself 
the  question  as  he  lay  there,  but  for  the  moment  could  find 
no  answer,  for  the  stranger's  figure  was  hidden  almost  com- 
pletely, while  his  features  were  entirely  invisible.  Creeping 
along  in  the  shadow  of  the  farther  wall,  he  soon  reached  a 
point  which  was  exactly  opposite  to  the  fugitives,  and  sepa- 
rated only  from  them  by  a  matter  of  a  few  yards.  Then  he 
crept  slowly  into  the  middle  of  the  sun-dried  road,  and  turn- 
ing, faced  the  store-hut,  bending  his  head  forward  as  if  he 
wished  to  inspect  it  closely.  Fortunately  for  Jim  and  his 
father,  the  man  had  chosen  a  site  to  which  a  few  stray  rays 
of  the  watch-fire  contrived  to  penetrate,  and  this  light  falling 
upon  his  face,  revealed  the  fact  that  he  was  not  the  sentry,  but 
the  native  who,  when  Jim's  dagger  was  found,  had  suggested 
that  the  white  prisoner  and  his  rescuer  had  taken  refuge  in 
the  store-hut.  Evidently,  in  spite  of  the  Mullah's  derision, 
he  had  come  at  length  to  investigate  the  matter  for  himself. 
With  a  start  of  surprise  our  hero  recognized  him. 

"  Our  game  is  up,"  he  whispered ;  "  that  is  the  man  who 
declared  to  his  companions  that  we  must  be  hiding  in  the 
village.  And  now  he  has  come  to  set  the  question  at  rest,  and 
so  that  he  should  not  incur  the  ridicule  of  his  comrades,  has 
selected  this  late  hour  in  which  to  put  in  an  appearance. 
What  can  we  do  ?  " 

"  Do  ?  "  murmured  the  colonel.  "  We  must  manage  to 
silence  the  fellow,  or  the  whole  village  will  be  upon  us.  But 
I  confess  that  it  is  almost  an  impossibility,  for  he  is  bound 

274 


A  Dash  for  Liberty 

to  discover  us  before  we  can  get  within  reach  of  him.  In 
that  case,  we  must  effectually  silence  him  and  then  escape, 
for  otherwise  he  would  set  his  comrade  upon  us.  Hush!  he 
is  looking  in  this  direction." 

As  he  spoke  the  native  turned  round  slowly,  peering  into 
the  darkness  in  all  directions,  and,  as  his  eyes  fell  upon  the 
shadow  in  which  they  were  lurking,  he  started  backwards. 
Then,  as  if  uncertain  of  his  powers  of  vision,  he  crept  a  few 
paces  closer,  and,  shading  his  eyes  with  both  hands,  as  though 
they  would  help  him  to  penetrate  the  darkness,  stared  sus- 
piciously at  the  two  figures  crouching  there.  A  second  later 
he  had  given  vent  to  a  shout,  and,  turning  upon  his  heel,  fled 
down  the  street,  making  the  air  ring  with  his  calls. 

Jim  was  utterly  bewildered  at  the  turn  which  events  had 
taken,  but  Colonel  Hubbard  was  a  man  who  had  faced  danger 
in  many  forms,  and  whose  wits  had  been  sharpened  upon 
many  a  field  of  battle.  Realizing  at  once  that  this  man 
would  not  only  arouse  his  comrades,  but  would  lead  them  in 
the  pursuit,  he,  too,  was  upon  his  feet  and  dashing  along 
between  the  houses  before  an  instant  had  passed.  Fear  seemed 
to  lend  fleetness  to  his  feet,  for  though  the  native  spy  sped 
onward  at  a  rapid  pace,  he  could  not  outdistance  his  pursuer. 
Indeed,  the  colonel  seemed  to  come  up  with  him  by  leaps  and 
bounds,  and  then  with  one  gigantic  spring  to  land  upon  his 
shoulders.  What  followed  Jim  could  not  make  out,  but  when 
Colonel  Hubbard  returned  he  knew  that  they  were  safe.  The 
man  whom  he  had  followed  had  paid  for  his  persistence  with 
his  life. 

Meanwhile  Jim  had  not  been  idle.  Grasping  the  fact  that 
the  store-house  could  not  longer  afford  a  safe  shelter,  he  had 
at  once  darted  across  the  street  and  hurled  the  door  open. 
Then,  as  a  figure  appeared  to  bar  his  progress,  and  he  heard 

275 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

the  sharp  click  of  a  gun-lock,  he  called  a  loud  warning  to 
John  Margetson,  and  leapt  hurriedly  aside.  Well  was  it  for 
him  that  he  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  do  so,  for,  suddenly 
aroused  from  the  slumber  into  which  he  had  fallen,  Marget- 
son had  seized  one  of  the  Mullah's  weapons  which  lay  close 
to  his  hand,  and,  hearing  the  door  burst  open  and  the  com- 
motion outside,  had  discharged  the  contents  into  the  dark- 
ness. 

"  Steady,  old  man !  "  shouted  our  hero ;  "  it's  Jim,  and  I've 
come  to  tell  you  that  we  must  make  a  bolt  for  it.  Out  you 
come  at  once !  " 

To  say  that  John  Margetson  was  surprised  at  the  sudden 
turn  which  events  had  taken  was  to  express  the  situation 
mildly.  For  half  an  hour  after  Jim's  departure  he  had  re- 
mained in  the  store-hut,  looking  out  through  the  aperture 
between  the  roof  and  the  wall ;  but,  wearied  of  seeing  nothing, 
and  having  by  now  no  small  amount  of  confidence  in  the 
young  fellow  who  had  so  miraculously  come  to  rescue  him,  he 
had  sat  down  upon  a  bag  of  dates,  just  to  rest  for  a  few 
moments.  Then  the  heavy  atmosphere  within  the  hut — the 
aroma  of  dried  dates  and  the  store  of  wine — had  overcome 
him,  and  little  by  little  his  eyelids  had  drooped  till  he  was 
fast  asleep.  Roused  by  the  alarm  and  by  the  opening  of  the 
door,  he  had  started  to  his  feet,  and,  rushing  at  once  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  natives  had  discovered  his  lair,  he  imme- 
diately opened  fire,  without  thought  of  the  harm  he  might 
have  done  to  his  young  companion. 

"  What,  you !  "  he  exclaimed  in  bewilderment,  appearing  at 
the  door  with  a  smoking  weapon  in  his  hand.  "  Have  I  hurt 
you?  Good  heavens!  Don't  say  that  my  bullet  wounded 
you!" 

"  There's  nothing  wrong  with  me ;  but  I'm  in  a  desperate 

276 


A  Dash  for  Liberty 

hurry !  "  cried  Jim  again.  "  Bring  your  gun,  and  come  along 
quickly,  for  we  haven't  a  moment  to  lose." 

"  But  the  prisoner,  your  father  ?  " 

"He's  here.  I've  managed  to  get  him  safely  out  of  his 
cell,  and  now  we  must  fly  for  our  lives.    Ah " 

At  that  moment  Jim  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  a  tall 
figure  was  rushing  down  upon  them  from  the  direction  of  the 
Mullah's  house,  and  instantly  realized  that  it  must  be  the 
sentry  who  for  a  short  period  of  time  had  claimed  him  as  a 
comrade  that  evening.  Already  the  man  was  within  a  few 
paces  of  him,  and,  with  lowered  spear-point,  and  shield  held 
well  forward  so  as  to  protect  his  body,  came  headlong  towards 
them. 

"  Look  out !  "  shouted  John  Margetson. 

But  Jim  needed  no  warning,  for,  hazardous  though  the 
position  was,  he  had  never  for  one  moment  allowed  his  cool- 
ness to  desert  him.  Without  moving,  therefore,  from  the  spot 
upon  which  he  stood,  he  turned  slightly,  and  whipping  the 
revolver  from  his  waistcloth,  levelled  it  at  the  advancing 
sentry.  Click !  Back  went  the  lock  as  he  gave  the  first  pres- 
sure upon  the  trigger.  Snap!  The  hammer  fell;  but  there 
was  no  explosion,  no  bullet  flew  from  the  muzzle,  for  by  an 
evil  chance  a  splash  of  the  river  had  damped  the  cap. 

Undaunted,  however,  Jim  gave  vent  to  an  exclamation  of 
annoyance,  and  then,  without  lowering  his  arm,  jerked  at  the 
trigger  again.  Bang!  This  time  the  hammer  had  fallen 
upon  an  undamaged  cartridge.  Jim  heard  the  bullet  strike 
the  man's  breast,  and  then,  ere  the  flash  of  the  powder  had 
died  down,  he  saw  him  suddenly  plunge  forward,  with  arms 
thrown  "lit  before  him,  while  spear  and  shield  were  casl  high 
into  the  air.  A  second  later,  witli  a  clatter  which  could  !"• 
heard  all  over  the  village,  the  muscular  figure  of  the  unfor- 

277 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

tunate  sentry  came  crashing  to  the  ground,  where  it  lay 
motionless. 

And  now  the  Mullah's  village,  which  a  moment  before  had 
been  peacefully  slumbering,  was  suddenly  plunged  into  a 
state  of  wildest  turmoil.  A  very  pandemonium  seemed  to 
have  broken  loose,  for  in  all  directions  doors  were  flung  wide 
open  with  a  series  of  resounding  bangs,  while  loud  voices 
rent  the  silence  of  the  night.  Then,  just  as  had  happened  on 
a  previous  evening,  a  tall  figure  suddenly  appeared  beside  the 
flagstaff  which  stood  upon  the  roof  of  the  central  dwelling, 
and  the  voice  of  the  Mullah  rang  out  clearly,  drowning  every 
other  sound. 

"  Catch  them !  "  he  shouted.  "  After  them,  every  one  of 
you !  For  if  these  impudent  dogs  escape  this  time  we  shall  be 
for  ever  disgraced.  Follow  them,  I  say !  Pick  up  their  tracks, 
and  when  you  have  done  so,  I  myself  will  lead  you." 

"  Come  down,  then,  and  show  us  the  way  now !  "  called  out 
one  of  the  few  men  who  had  been  left  in  the  village.  "  We 
can  see  no  sign  of  them,  though  here,  in  front  of  the  store- 
hut,  are  the  bodies  of  two  of  our  comrades." 

"  A  third  is  here ! "  shrieked  another  at  this  moment, 
happening  to  stumble  upon  the  sentry  who  lay  behind  the 
prisoner's  hut.  "  It  is  Abdul  Hamid,  who  kept  watch  over 
our  white  slave.  See,"  he  continued,  appearing  a  moment 
later,  dragging  the  body  towards  the  watch-fire,  "  he  is  dead. 
Allah  has  taken  him,  and  the  thrust  of  a  sword  has  sent  him 
to  his  end.  Where  are  these  infidels?  Lead  us,  you  who  are 
our  ruler,  and  show  us  that  you  have  those  powers  of  which 
you  boast." 

That  the  incident  which  had  so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly 
aroused  the  village  had  angered  the  warriors  there  was  little 
doubt,  for  they  now  came  crowding  round  the  Mullah's  resi- 

278 


A  Dash  for  Liberty 

dence,  and  forgetting  the  humble  manner  in  which  they  were 
apt  to  address  him,  demanded  hotly  that  he  should  do  some- 
thing in  the  matter. 

"  It  is  a  disgrace  to  our  manhood !  "  cried  one  of  them 
bitterly.  "  If  these  men,  whoever  they  may  prove  to  be, 
escape  us,  the  tribes  who  live  within  touch  of  our  camp  will 
jeer  and  point  the  finger  of  disdain  at  us,  and  will  speak  of 
us  as  women,  fit  only  to  toil  in  household  work,  and  handle 
the  staff  with  which  our  corn  is  crushed,  instead  of  shield 
and  spear.    Up,  then,  and  lead  us  in  the  pursuit !  " 

That  the  indignant  words  had  their  due  effect  upon  the 
Mullah  was  evident,  for  scarcely  had  the  speaker  ended  the 
sentence  when  the  door  of  the  central  hut  flew  open  with  a 
crash,  and  the  leader  sprang  into  the  firelight,  brandishing 
a  sword  above  his  head. 

"  Ay !  "  he  shouted.  "  Women  we  should  be,  and  worse ! 
Dogs,  indeed,  to  let  these  men  get  safely  away.  You  have 
called  upon  me  to  show  you  how  to  act,  and,  therefore,  stand 
still  now  and  listen.  These  are  the  facts,  as  I  see  them. 
Our  brothers  are  abroad  between  this  and  the  desert,  and  it 
would  be  a  clever  fugitive  who  could  contrive  to  slip  between 
their  ranks,  even  upon  a  dark  night  such  as  this  is.  It  is 
clear,  therefore,  that  these  infidels  have  turned  their  faces  in 
another  direction.  To  the  river,  then!  Run  down  some  of 
you,  and  see  whether  a  trace  of  their  flight  cannot  be  dis- 
covered." 

At  his  order  half  a  dozen  of  the  men  who  surrounded  him 
turned  quickly,  and  rushing  to  the  watch-fire,  each  picked  up 
a  smouldering  brand,  and  ran  off  towards  the  river.  By  the 
time  they  had  reached  the  banks  the  impact  of  the  air  upon 
the  glowing  ends  of  the  wood  had  fanned  them  into  flames, 
and  converted  them  into  excellent  torches.     Scattering  with 

279 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

these  in  their  hands,  they  proceeded  to  search  every  foot  of 
the  neighbourhood,  and  ere  long  came  upon  signs  which 
rewarded  them  for  their  trouble.  Then  a  shout  rang  out  in 
the  air. 

"  Silence !  "  bellowed  the  Mullah,  who  had  again  taken  his 
post  upon  the  top  of  his  hut.  "  Let  every  man  remain  quiet, 
so  that  we  may  hear  what  is  said." 

"  Our  father  is  right,"  shouted  the  man  again.  "  He  is 
a  wise  leader,  indeed,  for  here  are  sure  signs  of  the  dogs 
who  have  disturbed  us.  Boats  are  missing  from  the  banks, 
and  by  the  aid  of  my  torch  I  can  see  them  on  the  farther 
side.  Wait  while  I  go  over  to  look  further  into  the 
matter.". 

There  was  a  splash  as  the  Somali  plunged  into  the  water, 
and  then,  as  all  eyes  were  turned  in  that  direction,  he  could 
be  seen  swimming  sturdily  by  the  aid  of  one  arm  and  his 
legs,  while  with  the  other  he  held  the  flaring  stake  above  his 
head.  About  him  the  stream  flashed  and  eddied,  while  the 
light  was  reflected  from  a  thousand  brilliant  points,  and 
clearly  showed  the  seething  wake  which  he  left  behind  him. 
Then,  ere  he  had  traversed  half  the  distance,  another  voice 
awoke  the  silence. 

"  Ha !  Here  is  another  boat !  "  one  of  the  searching  party 
shouted.  "I  can  see  it  stuck  high  and  dry  upon  the  reef 
which  crosses  the  river  at  the  foot  of  the  village.  It  is 
stranded  and  empty." 

"  And  here  are  five  more !  "  called  the  first,  who  had  now 
reached  the  opposite  side,  making  a  funnel  of  his  hands,  so 
that  his  voice  should  carry  the  more  surely ;  "  and  by  their 
side,  and  for  some  feet  on  the  marshy  edge  of  the  water,  the 
mud  and  grass  is  trampled  by  a  hundred  feet.  It  is  clear 
that  this  alarm  was  caused  by  more  than  one  of  the  enemy." 

280 


A  Dash  for  Liberty 

For  a  minute  there  was  silence  as  the  Mullah  cogitated, 
and  then  mindful  of  the  fact  that  he  must  not  hesitate — for 
to  do  so  would  be  to  show  weakness  before  his  followers — 
he  once  more  issued  his  orders. 

"  Few  or  many,  we  must  follow,  and  that  at  once,"  he 
called.  "  Therefore,  I  command  that  the  greater  part  of 
you  at  once  cross  the  water  and  search  out  the  tracks  of 
these  invaders.  Others  shall  mount  the  fleetest  horses  we 
possess,  and  gallop  to  their  brothers  with  the  word  that  they 
are  to  leap  into  their  saddles  and  come  hither  like  the  wind. 
Then,  with  myself  at  their  head  to  lead  and  guide  them 
with  my  wisdom,  we,  too,  will  ford  the  stream  and  take  up 
the  chase.  Be  sure,  my  men,  that  Allah  will  aid  us  in  this 
matter,  as  He  has  always  done,  for  are  we  not  brave  and 
deserving  of  His  favour  ?  " 

His  followers  were  eager  to  obey  his  words,  and  before 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  had  passed  some  fifteen  of  them  rode 
down  to  the  water's  edge,  and  spurring  their  ponies  into 
the  water,  swam  them  boldly  across*.  Then  with  a  forest  of 
blazing  torches  held  high  above  their  heads,  they  took  up 
the  supposed  tracks  of  the  fugitives,  and  followed  them  to 
the  rocky  and  hard  ground  beyond.  But  here  their  cunning 
and  native  craft  were  baffled,  for  not  a  scratch,  not  a  hoof- 
mark  could  be  seen  upon  the  uneven  surface,  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  each  one  of  the  warriors  was  trained  in  such  mat- 
ters, and  possessed  eyes  as  keen  as  those  of  a  ferret.  An  hour 
passed,  and  still  they  could  make  nothing  of  the  difficulty, 
and  were  compelled  to  send  one  of  their  number  to  the 
Mullah  with  a  message  to  that  effect. 

"What!  ~No  further  sign  of  them!"  exclaimed  the  latter 
wrathfully,  issuing  from  his  hut.  "  I  will  return  with  you 
and  see  into  this  matter." 

281 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

Diving  back  into  the  darkness  of  his  dwelling,  he  reap- 
peared in  a  few  minutes  with  a  flowing  robe  about  him  and 
a  rifle  of  modern  workmanship  in  his  hand.  At  a  shout  from 
one  of  the  men  near  at  hand,  a  pure-bred  Arab,  clean  of 
limb,  and  with  tossing  mane,  was  led  up  by  a  native  slave, 
who  stood  there,  bridle  in  hand,  holding  the  finely  worked 
stirrup  for  his  lord  and  master.  Scarcely  had  he  arrived 
when  the  leader,  disdaining  the  aid  so  invitingly  held  out 
towards  him,  leapt  with  a  bound  into  the  saddle.  With  the 
certainty  of  a  practised  equestrian,  his  feet  fell  into  the 
stirrups,  while  his  left  hand  picked  up  the  embroidered  reins. 
Then,  waving  his  rifle  above  his  head,  he  plunged  the  cruel 
rowels  with  which  his  heels  were  armed  into  the  flanks  of 
the  noble  animal,  which  at  once  sprang  forward  with  a  bound 
that  would  have  unseated  any  but  an  accomplished  horseman. 
With  a  snort,  and  a  shout  from  the  rider,  they  plunged  reck- 
lessly into  the  river,  and  began  to  swim  across.  It  was  grand 
to  see  the  manner  in  which  the  Arab  thoroughbred  clambered 
to  the  top  of  the  bank  beyond,  and  shook  himself  there  like 
a  dog,  while  the  gleam  of  the  torches  shone  upon  his  silky 
coat.  It  was  splendid,  too,  to  watch  this  Mullah,  forgetful 
of  intrigue  and  of  the  arts  by  which  he  maintained  his 
authority  over  his  followers,  become  a  man  again.  Tossing 
the  reins  upon  the  animal's  neck,  he  placed  a  hand  upon 
the  pommel  of  the  saddle,  and  then  leapt  lightly  to  the 
ground. 

"  A  torch !  "  he  cried  sharply.  "  Fools !  Give  me  one  of 
the  brands,  that  I  may  search  with  my  own  eyes.  Ha !  Now 
follow  behind  me,  and  beware  how  you  tread,  for  I  wish  not 
to  be  led  away  by  the  footprints  which  you  yourselves  have 
made." 

Cowed  by  his  fierceness,  the  search-party  promptly  obeyed 

282 


A  Dash  for  Liberty 

his  orders,  falling  in  behind  him,  and  following  every  move- 
ment he  made. 

"  Let  me  start  at  the  beginning,  and  then  work  from  the 
river,"  cried  the  Mullah,  striding  to  the  edge  of  the  water, 
where  he  sank  to  his  ankles  in  the  soft  mud.  "  Here  is  the 
groove  which  the  prow  of  the  boat  cut  as  it  was  run  to  the 
shore,  and  here,  deeply  impressed  in  the  ooze,  is  the  sandal- 
mark  of  the  man  who  first  leapt  overboard.  See !  "  He 
turned,  and  digging  his  heels  into  the  ground,  so  as  to  lend 
power  to  his  arms,  he  dragged  the  craft  still  higher.  "  And 
here  are  the  prints  of  those  who  followed  him.  One,  two — 
I  count  eight  of  them,  but — what  is  this  ?  Each  one  is  broad 
and  long  and  of  precisely  the  same  pattern.  It  is  strange 
that  all  the  infidels  who  landed  here  should  be  possessed 
of  feet  which  do  not  differ  in  size.  We  must  be  careful, 
for  this  enemy  of  ours  is  a  cunning  one,  and  has  already 
proved  difficult  to  deal  with." 

Something  had  awakened  the  suspicion  of  this  crafty 
leader,  for,  as  if  a  sudden  thought  had  come  to  him,  he  bent 
low,  till  his  head  and  beard  almost  swept  the  ground,  and 
peered  at  the  various  depressions  to  be  seen  there.  Then  he 
stalked  away  from  the  edge  of  the  water,  bearing  the  torch  at 
his  feet,  until  he  came  to  the  broken  ground  beyond.  He  did 
not  venture  as  yet,  however,  to  give  his  views  to  those  who  ac- 
companied him,  but,  satisfied  that  he  would  learn  nothing 
more  at  that  spot,  he  trudged  across  to  where  a  second  boat 
lay  drawn  up  on  the  shore.  Repeating  precisely  the  same 
process  as  before,  he  passed  to  the  third  and  fourth  in  succes- 
sion, and,  finally,  to  the  last.  Only  then,  when  there  was  no 
longer  room  for  doubt  in  his  own  mind,  did  he  permit  his 
warriors  to  gain  an  inkling  of  his  thoughts.  But  now  the 
evidence  of  a  ruse  was  so  clear  that  there  was  no  fear  of 

283 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

making  a  blunder,  and  consequently  of  losing  prestige 
amongst  his  men.  Therefore,  calling  them  about  him  with 
a  peremptory  wave  of  the  torch,  he  addressed  them  in  deep 
tones,  which  trembled,  so  great  was  his  anger. 

"  Where  would  you  be  had  you  not  myself  to  guide  you  ? " 
he  asked,  staring  each  man  in  turn  in  the  face.  "  5Tou  would 
be  as  children  without  a  mother,  as  sheep  without  a  herd. 
For,  had  it  not  been  for  my  presence  here  to-night,  you  would 
have  ridden  your  horses  to  this  spot,  and  then,  unmindful 
of  the  cunning  of  your  enemies,  would  have  galloped  away 
into  the  country  beyond,  bent  on  hopeless  pursuit.  Listen! 
The  dogs  who  came  hither  to-night,  and  disturbed  the  peace 
of  our  village,  escaped  by  another  way,  leaving  a  trap  behind 
them,  in  the  hope  that  it  would  put  you  aside  and  give  them 
a  longer  start.  As  I  have  said,  had  it  not  been  for  me,  you 
would  ere  now  have  been  gone  on  a  useless  mission,  having 
fallen  victims  to  this  ruse." 

"A  ruse?"  shouted  his  followers,  pressing  closer  in  their 
eagerness.  "  We  are  not  blind ;  but  in  this  we  cannot  follow 
your  thoughts,  and  cannot  agree  with  all  that  you  say." 

"  Fools !  Did  I  not  declare  that  without  your  leader  you 
are  lost?  Come  with  me,  and  I  will  show  you  the  truth  of 
my  words." 

Grasping  the  nearest  man  by  the  shoulder,  with  such 
fierceness  that  he  would  have  started  back  had  not  a  hand 
detained  him,  the  Mullah  dragged  him  across  the  turf 
towards  the  spot  where  one  of  the  native  craft  lay  stranded. 
From  there  he  proceeded  to  the  others  in  turn,  followed 
closely  all  the  while  by  the  remainder  of  the  party. 

"  Have  you  no  eyes  ?  "  he  demanded  impatiently,  directing 
their  attention  to  the  various  footprints.  "  Measure  the 
marks  in  your  minds,  and  tell  me,  if  you  can,  that  they  do 

284 


A  Dash  for  Liberty 

not  resemble  one  another.  Look !  The  sandal  upon  the  right 
foot  of  the  infidel  who  planned  this  trap  had  had  a  portion 
of  its  inner  edge  cut  away  by  some  jagged  stone,  and  the 
mud  tells  us  of  it  as  surely  as  could  the  owner.  Then  search 
about,  and  you  will  find  that  every  print  of  the  right  foot, 
whether  here  or  at  the  other  landing-places,  bears  the  same 
impression." 

Following  the  directions  of  their  leader,  the  warriors  fer- 
reted about  beside  the  river,  like  so  many  dogs  hunting  for 
rats;  and  then,  convinced  of  the  wisdom  of  the  Mullah,  they 
returned  to  his  side,  feeling  more  than  ever  that  he  was, 
indeed,  a  mighty  man. 

"  It  is  wonderful !  "  exclaimed  one  of  them  humbly.  "  You 
say  truly  that,  had  it  not  been  for  you,  we  should  have 
entered  upon  a  chase  which  would  have  been  fruitless.  Tell 
us,  you  who  are  our  father,  what  is  the  reading  that  you 
gather  from  these  signs.  For  my  part,  I  could  have  sworn  by 
Allah  that  no  fewer  than  a  hundred  of  the  enemy  had  landed 
here." 

"  A  hundred !  I  read  it  that  one  alone  came  here,  and 
having  settled  the  boats  in  their  various  positions,  swam 
back  again  to  the  village.  Then,  when  the  trap  was  ready, 
by  which  he  hoped  to  smother  his  trail  and  throw  dust  in  our 
eyes,  he  made  the  attempt  which  has  proved  successful.  But 
he  shall  repent.  By  Allah !  whom  we  all  worship,  and  whose 
slaves  we  are,  this  dog  of  an  infidel  shall  suffer.  Here  are 
my  orders.  Cross  once  more  to  the  village,  and  then  ride 
hard  to  join  your  comrades.  Tell  them  that  the  fugitives 
arc  in  their  direction,  and  bid  them,  capture  them  alive. 
When  the  day  dawns,  I  shall  expect  to  see  my  warriors  riding 
back  triumphant." 

Once  more  the  Mullah  treated  each  one  in  the  party  to  a 

2S5 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

stern  and  critical  inspection,  and  then,  striding  to  where 
his  Arab  charger  stood  shivering  in  the  cold  night  air,  he 
vaulted  into  the  saddle  without  touching  the  stirrup,  and  in 
a  moment  was  plunging  into  the  river  again.  With  his  rifle 
grasped  in  his  left  hand,  and  the  reins  hooked  over  the 
barrel,  he  forded  the  stream  with  the  aid  of  the  light  cast 
by  the  flaming  torch  which  he  still  retained.  Half  a  minute 
sufficed  for  him  to  reach  the  opposite  shore,  when,  turning  in 
his  saddle  to  take  one  backward  glance  at  his  followers,  he 
tossed  the  brand  into  the  river  and  spurred  his  animal  on. 
A  few  paces  brought  him  to  his  own  dwelling,  which  was 
surrounded  by  a  host  of  excited  women,  who  were  still  ig- 
norant of  the  cause  of  the  uproar,  and  were  fearful  for  their 
lives.  But  he  thrust  them  aside  haughtily,  and  springing 
nimbly  to  the  ground,  disappeared  from  view.  A  flickering 
light,  however,  showed  that  he  did  not  seek  repose,  but  was 
even  then  busily  making  preparations  for  the  pursuit  which 
was  to  be  carried  out  on  the  morrow. 


286 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

IN  THE  GOLD  MINE 

While  the  Mullah  is  busy  in  the  interior  of  his  hut, 
making  preparations  for  the  following  of  the  fugitives, 
should  his  men  have  failed  to  capture  them  before  the 
morning  dawns,  let  us  go  back  to  the  three  Englishmen,  whom 
we  last  saw  before  the  store-house  of  the  village.  From  the 
moment  when  Colonel  Hubbard  had  pursued  the  inquisitive 
Somali,  and  had  brought  him  down  in  his  tracks,  events 
had  happened  with  bewildering  rapidity,  and  indeed  Jim, 
when  he  had  brought  the  sentry  to  the  ground,  seemed  for 
some  moments  to  be  stunned. 

Luckily,  however,  the  others  were  fully  alive  to  the  danger 
in  which  they  stood,  and  well  knew  that  delay  would  be  fatal. 

"  Rouse  yourself !  Quick !  We  must  fly !  "  cried  the 
colonel,  in  accents  of  alarm. 

"  Yes,  pull  yourself  together,  for  you  are  the  only  one  who 
can  lead  us,"  said  John  Margetson,  grasping  his  young  com- 
panion by  the  shoulder  to  emphasize  his  words.  "  Which 
way  do  we  go,  and  where  do  we  fly  to  ? " 

At  first  the  words  had  fallen  upon  Jim's  ears  indistinctly, 
and  as  if  far  away.  But  the  rough  shaking  he  received,  the  re- 
minder that  the  safety  of  all  the  party  depended  upon  him- 
self, aroused  him  effectually,  and  with  a  start  he  was  himself 
again. 

"  Follow  me  to  the  ravine !  This  way !  "  he  cried ;  and 
turning  upon  his  heel,  at  once  sped  down  the  village  street, 

287 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

with  his  comrades  close  behind  him.  When  they  reached 
the  open,  they  swerved  sharply  to  the  left,  and  soon  struck 
upon  the  rough  path  which  Jim  had  used  when  coming  to 
rescue  his  father.  Without  pause,  without  even  turning  his 
head  to  see  if  the  others  were  following,  Jim  kept  on  at 
his  fastest  pace,  being  spurred  to  even  greater  exertions  by 
the  shouts  and  turmoil  which  he  heard  behind  him.  Not 
till  he  had  put  at  least  three-quarters  of  a  mile  between 
himself  and  the  Mullah's  village  did  he  venture  to  come  to  a 
halt,  and  then  it  was  to  throw  himself  full  length  upon  the 
grass,  with  which  the  countryside  was  thickly  clad,  and  lie 
there  breathing  heavily,  for  the  long  sprint  had  told  upon 
him  severely.  A  short  space  of  time,  however,  enabled  all 
three  to  regain  their  breath  once  more,  and  then  they  dis- 
cussed the  situation  in  low  tones. 

"What  is  the  move  now?"  asked  the  colonel  shortly,  in 
the  tones  of  a  man  who  demands  only  what  is  absolutely 
necessary,  and  expects  to  receive  a  concise  reply. 

"  That  depends,  father.  The  ravine  in  which  I  left  one 
of  my  followers  with  a  couple  of  camels  is  situated  barely 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  away,  and  if  it  has  proved  sufficient  to 
shelter  him,  it  will  also  afford  us  a  safe  hiding-place.  The 
question  is,  has  he  been  discovered;  and,  if  he  has,  then 
what  shall  our  action  be  ? " 

"  H'm !  I  understand  from  what  you  whispered  to  me 
when  I  was  still  a  prisoner  that  the  Somali  natives  are 
stationed  away  in  this  direction,"  said  the  colonel  slowly, 
"  and  that  another  force  has  been  despatched  to  attack  your 
zareba.  That  being  the  case,  we  cannot  hope  to  move  during 
the  daytime,  and  our  only  chance  of  safety  is  this  ravine  of 
which  you  speak.  Therefore,  I  say,  lead  us  to  it  at  once,  and 
should  it  prove  to  be  occupied  by  the  enemy,  then  let  us  go 

288 


In  the  Gold  Mine 

back  on  our  trail,  and  while  the  Mullah  and  his  following  are 
hastening  this  way  in  pursuit,  let  us  take  post  in  the  store- 
hut  again.  A  few  short  moments  will  suffice  to  place  it  in  a 
condition  of  defence.  You  tell  me  that  there  are  muzzle- 
loaders  there,  and  that  there  is  an  ample  supply  of  ammuni- 
tion, and  of  food  and  drink.  Well  and  good ;  our  movements 
are  perfectly  clear,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  course 
we  must  take.  Failing  the  ravine,  we'll  look  round  as  des- 
perate men  do  who  are  cornered,  and  like  rats  who  have  no 
chance  of  escape;  we  will  make  for  a  spot  in  which  we  can 
die  fighting,  and  which  will  give  us  an  ample  opportunity  of 
making  the  enemy  pay  dear  for  their  hatred  of  us." 

"  Yes,  father,"  chimed  in  Jim,  catching  his  enthusiasm. 
"  Should  it  turn  out  that  we  are  compelled  to  do  as  you  say, 
I  have  a  little  plan  by  which  we  could  do  even  more  harm  to 
these  warriors;  for  once  safely  in  the  hut,  and  our  defences 
prepared,  we  could  set  fire  to  the  remainder  of  the  buildings, 
and  with  a  few  handfuls  of  gunpowder,  which  could  be 
easily  spared,  blow  down  any  of  the  surrounding  walls  which 
would  be  likely  to  offer  covert  to  the  enemy.  But  the  ravine 
is  our  object  now,  and  I  propose  that  we  make  our  way  there 
quietly  and  without  undue  hurry,  for  were  we  to  run  towards 
it  at  any  great  pace,  we  should,  as  likely  as  not,  come  sud- 
denly upon  one  or  more  of  the  scouts  who  are  posted  in  this 
direction.  That  would  be  worse  than  finding  that  the  ravine 
was  already  occupied,  for  a  shout  would  bring  scores  of  the 
Somalis  about  us,  and  we  should  be  hemmed  in  in  the  open. 
Therefore,  let  us  take  it  easy.  If  only  we  can  choose  a  de- 
fensible site  in  the  ravine,  and  finally  reach  the  zareba,  we 
need  have  little  fear,  for  at  any  moment  one  or  other  of  the 
forces  about  to  march  upon  the  Mullah  may  arrive  upon  the 


scene." 


289 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Put  shortly  and  clearly,  like  a  soldier !  "  exclaimed  the 
colonel.  "  Lead  on,  my  boy,  for  until  we  are  out  of  this 
country  you  are  in  command.  Not  for  one  instant  will  I 
permit  myself  to  interfere  in  your  task.  Carry  it  through 
by  yourself,  and  thereby  show  your  independence  and  your 
manliness.  But  when  in  a  tight  corner  and  uncertain  how 
to  act,  do  not  fail  to  take  counsel  with  those  whose  age  and 
experience  may  prove  of  help,  for  that  is  the  action  of  every 
astute  leader." 

By  now,  all  were  sufficiently  rested  and  had  regained  their 
breath,  and  therefore  were  in  a  position  to  take  the  path 
once  more.  Springing  to  their  feet,  they  stood  for  the  space 
of  a  few  seconds  to  listen  to  the  distant  sounds  which  still 
came  from  the  village,  and  to  others  which  could  be  heard 
away  in  the  open  country  towards  which  they  were  making. 
Then  they  pressed  onward  in  single  file,  each  one  with  his 
hand  upon  his  weapon,  his  eyes  peering  into  the  darkness  on 
every  side,  and  his  ears  listening  attentively  for  any  noise 
which  might  betray  the  approach  of  an  enemy. 

They  had  not  gone  many  yards  before  Jim  suddenly  be- 
came aware  of  the  fact  that  a  couple  of  dim  figures  were 
advancing  from  the  opposite  direction,  and  instantly,  without 
venturing  to  utter  a  word  of  warning,  he  stopped  abruptly, 
and  catching  his  father  and  John  Margetson  by  the  arms, 
pushed  them  to  the  right  until  they  were  in  the  centre  of  a 
clump  of  thorn-bushes,  which  grew  thickly  on  either  side. 
Neither  of  his  companions  needed  an  explanation  of  such 
conduct,  for  they,  too,  had  caught  sight  of  the  strangers,  and 
at  once,  obeying  their  leader's  directions,  crouched  in  the 
undergrowth,  Jim  and  Margetson  covering  the  strangers. 
And  now  as  they  watched,  the  soft  call  of  an  owl  was  heard, 
and,  to  the  astonishment  of  Jim,  it  was  repeated  by  the  two 

290 


In  the  Gold  Mine 

men  at  whom  they  were  looking.  Again  the  sound  broke 
upon  the  stillness,  coming  from  a  distance,  and  then,  with 
the  silence  of  ghosts,  some  fifteen  natives  filed  into  view, 
half  a  dozen  being  mounted  upon  ponies. 

"  That  is  evidently  their  signal,"  whispered  the  colonel, 
"  and  we  must  be  careful  to  remember  it,  for  it  may  yet  be 
of  use  to  us.    But — hush!    They  are  talking." 

By  now  the  group  of  warriors  had  halted  upon  the  path 
within  a  few  paces  of  the  fugitives,  and,  little  dreaming  that 
the  men  they  sought  were  so  close  at  hand,  began  to  discuss 
the  situation  in  animated  tones. 

"  We  are  bewildered,"  said  one  of  them,  "  for  some  minutes 
ago  a  comrade  reached  us  from  the  village,  telling  us  that  the 
other  white  prisoner  had  escaped,  and  had  flown  beyond  the 
river.  But  how  can  that  be,  for  we  know  that  the  zareba 
away  in  the  desert  is  still  surrounded,  and  there  can  have 
been  no  one  to  help  the  slave  ?  And  yet  this  man  of  whom  I 
speak  reports  that  there  is  evidence  that  at  least  a  hundred 
crossed  to  the  village  on  the  farther  side  of  the  water,  and 
then  went  their  way  again  in  a  southerly  direction.  The 
orders  are  that  we  at  once  return,  and  make  ready  to  pursue 
them." 

"  It  is  strange,  indeed,"  chimed  in  a  second.  "  As  I  stood 
at  my  post,  thinking  that  nothing  would  occur  to  disturb  the 
silence,  I  heard  the  report  of  a  gun,  and  realized  that  the 
enemy  was  at  work  again.  But  I,  too,  cannot  understand 
how  there  can  be  men  abroad  to  harm  us.  Perhaps  this  is  a 
mistake,  and  we  shall  do  well  to  pause  ere  we  draw  in  our 
lines,  for  it  may  fall  out  that  this  is  only  a  ruse,  and  that 
the  escaping  prisoner  is  even  now  making  his  way  in  this 
direction." 

"Hark!"  cried   a  third  at   this  moment.     "I  think  the 

291 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

sound  of  a  galloping  horseman  just  now  fell  upon  my  ears. 
Stand  still,  brothers,  and  be  silent  while  I  signal  to  him. 
If  it  is  not  answered,  we  shall  know  that  it  is  this  infidel  for 
whom  we  are  waiting;  and  then " 

"  Ah !  " 

Each  one  of  the  group  gave  vent  to  a  guttural  exclamation, 
which  denoted  the  delight  he  would  feel  should  his  long 
watch  prove  successful  in  the  end.  Then  all  waited  in 
silence,  while  the  man  who  had  last  spoken  did  as  he  had 
suggested.  It  was  weird  to  hear  that  low  cooing  noise  vi- 
brating upon  the  midnight  air,  and  still  more  wonderful  to 
note  how  accurately  the  cry  of  the  owl  was  reproduced. 
Twice  in  succession  was  it  sent  out  from  the  throat  of  the 
warrior,  and  then  as  they  listened,  hoping  against  hope  that 
it  would  not  be  repeated  from  the  stranger,  the  distant 
splash  and  clatter  of  hoofs  striking  upon  the  path  and  upon 
the  springy  turf  at  its  side  ceased  suddenly,  and  a  wailing 
cry  came  shrilly  in  response.  Then  once  more  the  galloping 
hoofs  could  be  heard  and  very  soon  a  horseman  dashed  up 
to  the  party.  Not  till  he  was  almost  upon  them,  and  ran 
the  danger  of  riding  them  down,  did  he  attempt  to  pull  in 
his  steed,  for  the  Somali  loves  a  brilliant  equestrian,  and 
rather  than  save  pain  and  distress  to  the  animal  he  rides, 
prefers  to  pull  upon  its  mouth  until  the  bit  cuts  into  the 
flesh,  and  the  poor  beast  is  dragged  upon  its  quarters. 

"  The  order  is  reversed,"  cried  the  horseman,  flinging  his 
reins  upon  the  neck  of  his  mount  and  springing  to  the 
ground.  "  Our  father,  the  Mullah,  has  with  his  great  wisdom 
discovered  a  ruse,  cunningly  planned  by  the  enemy.  He  finds 
that  they  have  not  fled  beyond  the  river,  but  in  this  direction. 
He  commands,  therefore,  that  you  set  a  careful  watch,  and 
bring  the  captives  to  him  by  dawn.    If  you  are  not  successful, 

292 


-:% 


m 


A 


THE   WARRIORS    HAD    HALTED    UPON   THE    PATH   WITHIN    A    FEW 
PACES    OF   THE    FUGITIVES. 


In  the  Gold  Mine 

he  himself  will  come  out  in  the  daylight  and  lead  you.  Those 
are  his  orders." 

"  And  we  will  see  that  they  are  carried  out  at  once,"  cried 
one  of  the  group.  "  Listen,  comrades.  It  is  useless  for  us 
to  wait  here  expecting  these  infidels,  for  they  would  never 
dare  to  come  by  the  path.  It  is  in  the  bush  that  we  shall 
find  them,  and  in  all  probability  nearer  to  the  village  than 
we  are  now.  Let  us  separate  from  here,  therefore,  and  ride 
away  to  right  and  left." 

The  remainder  of  the  natives  hastily  expressed  their  ap- 
proval, and  as  time  was  of  much  importance,  and  they  could 
not  afford  to  indulge  in  delay,  they  at  once  parted  with  one 
another,  and  melted  into  the  darkness  as  silently  as  they  had 
come. 

"  Things  look  brighter  for  us,"  said  John  Margetson,  in  a 
whisper,  hastily  interpreting  all  that  had  passed.  "  These 
men  declare  that  it  is  useless  watching  the  path  along  which 
we  came,  and  that  is  a  fact  which  will  serve  our  purpose 
admirably,  for,  if  I  remember  rightly,  the  ravine  has  its 
opening  close  beside  a  turn  in  the  road,  and  it,  too,  should 
escape  observation.  Lead  on,  Jim,  and  let  us  make  a  run 
for  this  hiding-place." 

Springing  to  their  feet,  the  trio  emerged  from  the  thorn- 
bushes,  and  taking  the  beaten  track  again,  pressed  on  at  a 
rapid  pace,  for,  now  that  it  was  certain  that  their  ruse  had 
been  discovered,  it  was  of  great  importance  to  them  to  find 
a  lair  at  an  early  moment.  Otherwise,  however  carefully  they 
hid  themselves  in  the  undergrowth,  the  search-parties  would 
be  certain  to  discover  them  at  the  first  streak  of  daylight, 
and  then  their  fate  would  be  settled.  Having  traversed  a 
few  hundred  yards,  Jim,  who  was  again  leading  the  party, 
broke  into  a  walk,  and  began  to  study  carefully  the  left-hand 

293 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

edge  of  the  road.  Then  he  suddenly  turned  away  on  to  the 
grass,  and  striding  forward,  halted,  as  the  pale  glimmer  of 
water  caught  his  eye. 

"  The  well  which  lies  at  the  entrance  to  the  ravine,"  he 
explained  in  a  whisper.  "  We  pass  it  by  and  then  sweep 
round  to  the  right  until  we  are  out  of  sight  of  the  path. 
Then  I  shall  give  the  signal  arranged  upon  between  Ali  and 
myself.  Follow  closely,  and  be  ready  to  come  to  a  stop  at  any 
moment." 

He  pressed  forward,  and  gradually  inclining  towards  his 
right  till  he  judged  that  the  path  would  no  longer  be  visible 
had  it  been  daytime,  he  stopped  and  gave  vent  to  a  low 
cough.  Again  he  repeated  the  signal,  and  waited  in  silence 
for  the  answer.  So  long  an  interval  elapsed  that  at  last 
it  appeared  as  if  Ali  Kumar  must  have  been  forced  to  leave 
his  post,  or  as  if  he  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
But  just  as  Jim  was  about  to  repeat  the  signal  for  the  third 
time,  there  was  a  cough  close  at  hand,  and  someone  seemed 
to  start  from  the  darkness  and  stand  beside  him. 

"  I  am  here,  master,  and  rejoice  at  your  return,"  was  said 
in  a  voice  which  was  undoubtedly  that  of  Ali  Kumar. 
"  Speak !  Are  you  unhurt,  and  sound  in  wind  and  limb  ? 
And  is  one  of  the  two  who  accompany  you  the  Mullah's 
white  slave,  the  father  for  whose  rescue  you  yearned  ?  " 

"  I  am  strong  and  well,  and  my  father  is  here,  Ali.  In 
addition,  I  bave  brought  with  me  a  second  prisoner,  the  one 
whom  you  saw  when  you  went  to  the  village,  and  whom  you 
took  to  be  the  colonel.  But  we  have  no  time  to  chatter  here, 
for  the  Mullah's  followers  are  hotly  in  chase.  It  is  a  relief 
to  find  that  you  are  still  in  the  ravine,  for  it  shows  that  it 
has  escaped  the  search  of  the  enemy.  Take  us  farther  into 
it,  and  show  us  a  spot  where  we  can  defend  ourselves,  for  you 

294 


In  the  Gold  Mine 

may  be  sure  that  these  Somali  people  will  go  over  the  road 
again,  and  hunt  each  corner  of  the  land  as  if  they  were  dogs." 

"  We  have  a  grand  hiding-place,  master,"  was  the  answer, 
"  though  I  cannot  say  that  the  ravine  will  escape  a  further 
search.  However,  there  is  that  within  these  walls  of  earth 
which  will  aid  us,  should  we  be  discovered,  and  from  which 
we  should  be  able  to  drive  away  every  follower  that  this 
tyrant  possesses.  But,  come,  follow  closely,  and  do  not 
hesitate  to  hold  out  your  hands  on  either  side,  for  the  path 
is  rugged  and  dangerous,  and  in  the  dark  it  may  well  happen 
that  one  of  you  might  strike  his  head  against  a  rock,  or 
tumble  and  break  a  limb." 

"  Eight !  Push  on  like  a  good  fellow !  We'll  look  to  our- 
selves." 

Ali  at  once  turned  about,  and  pushed  on  into  the  ravine 
at  a  swift  pace,  which  taxed  the  efforts  of  those  who  came 
after  him.  Striking  to  the  right,  he  soon  came  to  a  part 
which  was  shrouded  in  even  denser  darkness,  and  then  began 
to  mount  slightly,  following  a  track  which  seemed  to  cut 
its  way  along  the  side  of  the  tiny  valley. 

"  Have  a  care,  my  masters,"  he  whispered  suddenly,  turn- 
ing round  when  he  had  traversed  some  forty  yards  of  this 
path.  "  At  this  point  our  road  bends  abruptly  to  the  left, 
and  comes  to  an  end  at  the  entrance  to  an  ancient  mine, 
which  your  servant  discovered  by  the  merest  chance.  It  is 
faced  outside  with  hewn  blocks  of  stone,  and  from  that  point 
runs  back  for  some  little  way,  widening  as  it  does  so.  Then 
it  divides,  and  numerous  galleries  pass  away  into  the  hill, 
but  how  far  I  dare  not  say,  for  I  would  not  explore  one  of 
them  to  save  my  life.  The  opening  is  close  at  hand,  and 
when  we  reach  it,  I  warn  you  to  bend  low,  for  the  archway 
is  of  no  great  height  and  would  injure  men  of  your  stature." 

295 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

This  news  was  a  surprise  indeed,  and  in  other  circum- 
stances would  have  almost  taken  their  breath  away.  But 
the  excitement  of  the  past  few  hours,  the  numerous  incidents 
which  had  been  crowded  into  their  lives  whilst  in  the  Mul- 
lah's village,  had  left  but  little  room  for  wonder.  With 
scarcely  a  murmur,  therefore,  at  the  strange  tidings  which 
they  had  just  heard,  they  demanded  to  be  led  on  again,  and 
followed  the  native,  with  only  one  thought  in  their  minds — 
the  longing  to  find  themselves  in  some  hiding-place,  some 
haven  in  which  they  could  take  refuge,  and,  if  necessary, 
defend  themselves  against  attack. 

Pressing  swiftly  forward,  Ali  Kumar  swung  to  the  left, 
and  ere  long  came  to  a  halt  for  the  second  time. 

"  We  are  here,  my  masters,"  he  said.  "  Take  heed  of  my 
words." 

Once  more  he  advanced  into  the  inky  darkness,  Jim  and 
his  two  companions  following  without  hesitation.  It  was 
soon  evident  to  all  that  they  had  entered  some  underground 
chamber,  for  each  felt  a  rough  archway  of  hewn  stones  above 
his  head,  while  his  surroundings  suddenly  became  even  denser 
and  less  visible.  Then  the  pungent  smell  of  smouldering  logs 
fell  upon  their  nostrils,  and  in  the  distance  they  saw  the 
faint  glimmer  of  a  fire.  At  the  same  time  they  noticed  that 
camels  were  in  the  place,  for  the  irregular  outlines  of  two 
of  these  animals  could  be  seen  upon  the  floor  away  on  the 
right,  while,  closer  at  hand,  was  a  large  pile  of  newly  cut 
grass  with  which  to  feed  them. 

Striking  across  the  large  entrance-hall  of  the  mine,  Ali 
strode  to  the  fire  and  seized  a  brand,  then  he  raised  it  above 
his  head,  and  bade  his  followers  look  about  them. 

"  I  have  seen  places  like  this  elsewhere,"  he  remarked, 
"  and  a  hunter  whom  I  accompanied  from  the  coast  informed 

29b 


In  the  Gold  Mine 

me  that  they  were  the  work  of  an  ancient  people  who  lived 
and  throve  hundreds  of  years  ago.  They  discovered  by  their 
wisdom  that  gold  lay  hid  among  the  hills  and  rocks,  and 
straightway  set  their  slaves  and  captives  to  labour  in  the 
mines.  But  these  races  of  which  my  master  spoke  must 
have  died  out,  and  become  almost  forgotten,  though  the  tribes 
who  live  in  Africa  still  have  legends  which  tell  of  their 
existence." 

"  He  speaks  the  truth,"  said  Colonel  Hubbard,  going  to 
the  fire  and  helping  himself  to  a  piece  of  flaring  timber,  with 
which  the  better  to  inspect  his  surroundings.  "  I,  too,  have 
seen  such  works  as  these  elsewhere  in  the  continent  of  Africa, 
and  so  greatly  has  my  curiosity  and  interest  been  aroused 
that  I  have  explored  some  of  the  mines,  and  have  gone  to  the 
trouble  of  hunting  up  literature  upon  the  subject.  It  is 
currently  reported,  on  the  strength  of  an  old  legend,  that 
Queen  Sheba  herself  set  sail  from  a  point  on  the  northern 
coast  of  Africa,  not  far  removed  from  Berbera,  and  made 
her  historic  journey  to  the  court  of  Solomon.  No  doubt  her 
wealth  was  derived  from  mines  like  these,  and  it  is  even 
possible  that  as  soon  as  this  country  is  opened  up,  others 
may  become  rich  from  the  same  source,  for  an  expert,  who 
accompanied  me  when  searching  the  old  workings  of  which 
I  have  spoken,  assured  me  that  many  of  them  were  still 
capable  of  producing  gold.  But  I  must  not  forget  that  we 
are  fugitives,  and  that  even  now  the  Mullah's  followers  are 
hunting  for  us.  The  question  arises  as  to  whether  we  should 
remain  here  or  push  on  for  Jim's  zareba.  I  shall  not  venture 
to  offer  my  opinion  until  I  have  heard  him  speak,  for  this  is 
his  adventure,  and  it  is  my  wish  that  he  should  carry  it 
through  to  the  end." 

"  And   mine,   too,    colonel !  "   exclaimed   John    Margetson. 

f 

297 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  What  you  say  is  fair  and  right,  for  our  young  friend  has 
shown  most  admii*able  coolness  and  a  ready  wit.  We  must 
remember  that  it  was  he  who  thought  of  entering  the  country 
on  your  behalf,  and  that  he  has  already  been  the  leader  of 
a  small  following.  To  deprive  him  of  that  post  at  this 
moment  would  be  mean  indeed,  and  would  cast  a  slur  upon 
him.      For   myself,    I   have   the   utmost   faith    in    his    deci- 


sion." 


At  the  words  Jim  flushed  red  with  pleasure,  for  there  was 
no  doubt  that  they  were  said  in  earnest. 

"  It  is  more  than  kind  of  you  both,"  he  began,  after  a  short 
pause,  during  which  he  looked  sharply  about  him.  "  As  you 
have  left  this  matter  to  me,  I  will  settle  it,  if  possible,  but 
I  ask  you  to  correct  me  should  you  consider  my  decision 
unwise  or  unreasonable.  When  I  consider  that  the  sur- 
rounding country  is  overrun  by  enemies,  and  that  to  ven- 
ture from  this  curious  place  would  mean  capture,  I  say  at 
once  that  we  should  be  fools  even  to  dream  of  quitting  such 
a  spot.  Why,  look  at  it!  That  low  and  narrow  arch  is  just 
the  position  which  four  desperate  men  should  be  able  to 
defend  so  long  as  food  and  drink  lasted,  and  it  is  my  advice 
that  we  at  once  make  plans  to  keep  watch  at  the  entrance, 
in  case  of  discovery.  Our  future  actions  absolutely  depend 
upon  the  existence  of  sufficient  supplies." 

"  Then  you  may  call  it  certain  that  we  have  flesh  and 
water  to  last  us  for  a  month,"  interposed  Ali  Kumar.  "  Look 
there,  master!  There  we  have  a  store  of  food,  while  yonder, 
in  the  corner  of  this  great  chamber,  is  a  pool  of  clear  spring 
water,  into  which  a  stream  drains  from  the  hillside  con- 
tinually, while  the  overflow  disappears  through  a  crevice  in 
the  floor." 

Turning  suddenly  upon  his  heel,  the  native  shikari  pointed 

208 


In  the  Gold  Mine 

to  the  two  sleeping  camels,  and  then  away  to  one  side  of  the 
entrance-hall.  Looking  in  that  direction,  and  by  the  aid  of 
the  torches,  Jim  and  his  comrades  at  once  caught  the  re- 
flection from  the  surface  of  a  large  pool  of  water,  while  a 
moment  later,  as  they  stood  there  listening,  the  gentle  splash 
of  a  falling  stream  came  to  their  ears. 

"  Good !  "  said  Jim,  in  tones  of  pleasure.  "  I  reckon  that, 
if  we  were  to  slay  one  of  the  beasts,  we  could  cut  the  flesh 
into  strips,  as  the  Boers  and  Red  Indians  do,  and  cure  it 
by  placing  it  outside  in  the  sun,  or  by  drying  it  over  a  smoky 
fire.  Yes,  in  my  opinion,  that  absolutely  settles  the  question. 
Our  game  is  to  stick  to  this  place  through  thick  and 
thin,  and  resist  all  attacks ;  and  meanwhile  two  of  our  number 
can  easily  be  spared  to  explore  some  of  these  workings  which 
I  see  lead  from  this  hall.  Indeed,  the  more  I  think  of  it,  the 
more  certain  am  I  that  Ali's  find  will  prove  to  be  the  very 
thing  for  us;  for,  supposing  the  Mullah  and  his  men  rush 
the  entrance,  we  can  still  retire  into  one  of  the  tunnels,  and 
make  things  hot  for  them." 

"  I  fully  agree  with  you,  my  boy,"  said  Colonel  Hubbard 
heartily.  "  So  long  as  powder  and  shot  last,  we  four  men — 
for  I  count  you  equal  to  ourselves  in  strength  and  pluck — ■ 
should  be  able  to  keep  the  enemy  out.  Then,  if  things  get 
too  hot  for  us,  Ave  shall  retire,  with  food,  and  water  too,  if  we 
can  carry  it,  into  the  old  workings  and  defy  the  Mullah's 
army.  Indeed  I  doubt  whether  one  of  them  would  have  the 
courage  to  pursue  us  underground,  for  these  natives  are 
.superstitious  fellows,  and  fear  all  kinds  of  imaginary  things. 
Had  it  not  been  for  that,  they  or  their  ancestors  would  have 
quickly  investigated  these  mines,  and  would  have  turned 
them  to  account.  But  for  generations  they  have  been  little 
better  than  savages,  and  have  been  pleased  with  an  existence 

299 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

which  has  been  spent  partly  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and 
partly  in  raids  upon  their  neighbours.  And  now,  how  are  we 
to  defend  the  position  ?  " 

"  I've  an  idea,"  cried  John  Margetson,  suddenly  snatching 
the  torch  from  the  colonel's  hand  and  advancing  to  the 
entrance.  "  But,  first  of  all,  I  should  like  to  know  from 
Ali  the  condition  of  affairs  outside,  for  I  confess  that, 
though  I  have  been  for  three  years  a  slave  to  the  Mullah,  I 
have  never  been  in  this  ravine.  Indeed,  amongst  the  Somalis, 
it  is  scarcely  known,  and  I  doubt  whether  a  single  one  of  them 
has  ventured  into  it;  for  it  is  considered  to  be  haunted,  and 
that  is  quite  sufficient  to  keep  all  inquisitive  people  away. 
But  answer  my  question,  Ali,  like  a  good  fellow." 

"  The  valley  is  a  narrow  one,  and,  indeed,  when  looked 
into  from  the  hills  above,  is  more  like  a  deep  pit  with  steeply 
sloping  sides.  A  well  stands  at  the  opening,  which  is  but  a 
few  yards  in  breadth.  But,  farther  in,  the  walls  give  back 
quickly,  and  then  slowly  approach  again,  till  a  sharp  angle  is 
formed,  in  which  this  mine  is  situated.  In  the  old  days,  of 
which  my  master's  father  has  spoken,  a  paved  road  led  down 
the  centre  of  the  ravine,  and  ascended  easily  to  this  entrance, 
and  by  that,  no  doubt,  the  slaves  were  wont  to  come  to  their 
work.  But  the  store  of  water  in  this  chamber  has  cut  its 
way  through  the  floor,  and,  issuing  upon  this  stone,  has,  in 
course  of  time,  cut  a  deep  and  wide  furrow  across  it  to  its  bed 
beyond,  from  which  it  flows  to  the  well  beside  the  village  path. 
For  that  reason,  my  masters,  I  led  you  by  a  track  which 
ascended  the  slope  of  the  hill." 

"  Then  my  plan  should  be  of  service  to  us,"  said  John 
Margetson,  who  had  closely  followed  Ali's  explanation.  "  It 
seems  to  me  that  when  the  morning  comes,  and  we  have 
daylight  to  help  us,  we  shall  have  an  uninterrupted  view  of 

300 


In  the  Gold  Mine 

the  whole  ravine  from  this  low-arched  entrance  of  the  mine, 
and  shall  be  able  to  cover  every  foot  of  it  with  our  rifles.  But 
we  must  remember  that  these  Somalis  possess  many  firearms, 
and  if  they  happen  to  discover  us,  and  can  get  rid  of  their 
fears  of  the  supernatural,  they  will  lie  upon  the  slopes  about 
us  and  pour  in  their  fire  with  certain  aim,  for  the  range  will 
be  a  close  one.  Only  then  should  we  learn  that  to  lie  at  the 
entrance  would  be  impossible,  for  it  would  cost  us  our  lives. 
Do  you  follow  me,  my  friends  ? " 

"  Quite  easily !  "  exclaimed  the  colonel.  "  Had  you  had 
the  training  of  a  soldier,  you  could  not  have  seen  the  danger 
more  clearly.  I  am  waiting  impatiently  to  hear  how  you 
propose  to  get  over  the  difficulty,  which,  there  is  no  doubt,  is 
a  very  real  one." 

"  Then  listen,  colonel.  My  idea  is  a  very  simple  one,  and 
had  I  not  thought  of  it,  you  or  your  son  would  quickly  have 
done  so.  Since  life  to  us  would  be  impossible,  even  though 
we  were  to  lie  flat  upon  the  floor,  my  suggestion  is  that  we 
set  to  work  with  what  implements  we  have  and  dig  a  trench 
of  sufficient  depth  just  within  the  opening  to  allow  us  to 
obtain  shelter.  The  earth  which  we  remove  can  be  thrown  up 
in  front,  so  that  the  hole  need  not  be  more  than  three  feet 
in  depth." 

"  It  seems  a  splendid  proposal,"  cried  Jim,  who  had  been 
listening  attentively.  "  I  notice  that  the  floor  here  is  also 
paved  with  slabs  of  stone,  but  the  earth  beneath  is  soft,  and 
quite  loose,  as  you  will  see  for  yourself  if  you  look  at  this 
large  patch  here,  where  the  covering  has  been  removed.  That 
being  the  case,  the  sword  which  I  took  from  the  sentry  who 
was  watching  over  father's  prison  should  be  sufficient  to 
thoroughly  turn  it  up,  and  the  remainder  of  the  work  can  be 
finished  with  our  bands.     If  we  were  to  set  to  at  it  now,  the 

301 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

job  would  be  finished  by  daylight,  and  then  all  would  be  in 
readiness  in  case  of  attack." 

For  some  little  time  the  fugitives  stood  thoughtfully  con- 
sidering the  question,  and  then,  taking  care  that  the  torches 
should  not  be  brought  too  close  to  the  entrance,  they  went 
there  in  a  body  and  closely  inspected  the  ground.  Thrusting 
the  long  native  sword  into  a  crevice  between  two  of  the  pav- 
ing-slabs, the  colonel  rapidly  levered  one  of  them  up,  and 
lifted  it  out  of  its  place.  Then  he  put  the  point  of  the  weapon 
upon  the  bare  earth,  and  pressed  firmly  upon  the  handle,  with 
the  result  that  the  blade  sank  into  it  easily  until  the  hilt 
stopped  its  farther  descent.  A  gentle  tug  released  it,  and, 
when  it  was  held  up  to  the  light,  they  saw  that  it  was  not 
even  stained. 

"  We're  in  luck !  "  cried  the  colonel.  "  The  soil  beneath  ic; 
composed  of  pure  sand,  and  can  be  removed  with  the  greatest 
ease.    Look  here !  " 

Dropping  upon  his  knees,  he  thrust  his  hands  into  the 
opening  which  he  had  made  and  drew  them  out  filled  with 
shining  particles. 

"  That  explains  the  reason  for  these  slabs,  and  for  the 
paved  road  outside,"  he  said ;  "  for  if  they  were  not  here, 
movement  would  have  become  most  difficult,  and  the  slaves, 
as  they  trudged  to  and  fro  with  their  bags  of  quartz  or  of 
gold-bearing  sand,  would  have  had  a  weary  time  indeed.  Let 
us  get  to  work  at  once,  for  the  sooner  the  task  is  finished,  the 
better." 

Placing  their  weapons  upon  the  pavement  close  at  hand, 
the  party  at  once  began  to  tear  up  the  square  slabs  of  stone. 
They  found  that,  when  one  had  been  removed,  the  rest  gave 
little  trouble,  and  ere  many  minutes  had  passed  they  had 
cleared  a  long  and  narrow  track  across  the  opening  of  the 

302 


In  the  Gold  Mine 

mine.  Then  they  began  to  shovel  out  handfuls  of  sand,  and 
did  not  desist  from  their  labour  until  a  deep  trench  had  been 
dug.  And  now,  at  Jim's  suggestion,  the  slabs  were  relaid  at 
the  bottom,  while  a  few  were  used  as  a  narrow  coping  on  the 
summit  of  the  bank  which  they  had  thrown  up  in  front  of 
the  trench.  Through  this  four  narrow  embrasures  were  left 
to  accommodate  the  muzzles  of  the  guns,  and  were  cut  so 
deeply  that  the  weapons  could  be  fired  whilst  the  heads  of  the 
defenders  remained  completely  under  cover. 

Two  hours  later  the  arched  opening  became  more  visible, 
and  soon  the  rays  of  the  sun  were  pouring  down  upon  the 
land. 

"  I  vote  for  a  meal,"  sang  out  the  colonel  cheerily.  "  We 
may  as  well  have  it  now,  while  we  are  undisturbed,  for  we 
may  not  have  the  opportunity  later,  and  besides,  you  remem- 
ber the  old  tale  that  men  fight  better  and  more  bravely  when 
they  have  had  all  their  wants  satisfied." 

^Nothing  loth,  for  their  exertions  during  the  night  had 
sharpened  their  appetites,  the  remainder  of  the  party  hastily 
agreed,  and  turned  with  questioning  eyes  towards  Ali  Kumar. 
The  shikari  was  by  no  means  disconcerted,  and  instantly 
crossing  the  entrance  of  the  mine  to  where  the  camels  lay,  he 
returned  with  one  of  the  saddle-bags,  in  which  was  stored  the 
greater  portion  of  the  food  which  he  and  Jim  had  thought- 
fully brought  from  the  zareba. 

The  fugitives  had  barely  done  justice  to  the  meal  when  a 
low  cry  from  Ali  alarmed  them,  and,  looking  out  through 
their  embrasures,  they  caught  sight  of  a  group  of  dusky 
figures  standing  at  the  mouth  of  the  ravine.  That  their  eyes 
were  fixed  upon  the  old  mine-workings  was  evident,  and  soon 
there  was  little  doubt  that  the  sir  ht  had  attracted  their  atten- 
tion.   They  remained  close  together,  talking  and  waving  their 

303 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

arms,  and  then,  to  the  consternation  of  the  defenders,  they 
were  seen  to  be  searching  for  marks  upon  the  ground.  That 
success  was  likely  to  attend  their  efforts  was  without  ques- 
tion, and  indeed  but  a  little  time  had  elapsed  before  one  of 
them  gave  vent  to  a  shout,  and  called  to  his  comrades  to  join 
him.  An  instant  later  the  party  separated,  scrambling  like 
so  many  monkeys  up  the  steep  slopes  of  the  tiny  valley,  and, 
when  they  arrived  at  the  top,  each  man  instantly  began  to 
wave  his  arms  aloft,  and  shout  the  news  of  the  discovery  to 
all  who  were  within  hearing. 


304 


CHAPTER   XIX 

A  STRATEGIC   RETREAT 

There  was  no  doubt  that  the  hiding-place  of  the  fugitives 
was  now  discovered,  and  that  they  must  prepare  to  defend 
their  position  and  their  lives;  for,  knowing  the  character  of 
the  Mullah,  they  could  not  hope  to  escape  from  attack. 
Sooner  or  later,  and  as  quickly  as  they  could  overcome  their 
fears  of  the  spot,  the  fierce  followers  would  advance  into  the 
ravine  and  pour  their  bullets  into  the  entrance  to  the  mine. 
Indeed,  in  view  of  the  fanatical  hatred  in  which  they  held 
the  infidels,  it  was  more  than  probable  that  they  would  gather 
together  in  a  body  and  throw  themselves  with  the  utmost 
ferocity  upon  the  fugitives.  But  we  must  leave  the  little 
party  for  a  few  moments  and  once  more  fly  to  the  coast  and 
see  how  the  preparations  for  invasion  were  progressing. 

The  reader  will  recollect  how  a  force  had  collected  at 
Berbera,  and,  following  in  the  wake  of  Jim's  expedition,  had 
marched  across  the  lowlands  and  reached  the  highlands  by 
the  very  pass  in  which  the  latter  had  so  severely  defeated  the 
tribesmen.  The  rendezvous  of  the  British  troops  had  been 
Bohotle,  which  had  already  been  strongly  reinforced,  and 
filled  with  supplies  calculated  to  last  at  least  six  months.  As 
a  strategic  base,  this  was  the  very  best  that  the  country 
offered  in  these  parts,  for  it  was  practically  on  the  fringe  of 
the  Iload,  and  guarded  the  wells  at  which  the  last  store  of 
water  could  be  obtained.  From  that  point  onwards  a  march 
of  at  least  six  days  must  be  contemplated,  across  a  waterless 

305 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

desert,  before  the  invading  force  could  reach  the  Mudug 
pasture  lands  in  which  the  Mullah  had  made  his  home.  From 
the  farther  fringe  of  the  desert,  two  days  at  most  would  be 
occupied  in  marching  upon  the  Mullah's  stronghold,  and 
after  that  much  depended  upon  circumstances.  If  the  enemy 
stood  and  faced  the  troops  boldly,  as  he  had  boasted  he  would, 
there  was  every  hope  that  short  work  would  be  made  of  his 
army,  and  that  the  same  fate  would  befall  him  as  had  hap- 
pened to  the  Khalifa  in  the  Soudan.  On  the  other  hand,  he 
or  his  men  might  suddenly  become  fearful  of  this  small  band 
marching  against  him,  and  might  fly  into  the  interior.  If 
that  were  to  happen,  much  would  depend  upon  whether  the 
force  which  had  already  set  out  from  Obbia,  and  that  which 
had  left  the  Abyssinian  frontier,  were  able  to  cut  off  his  re- 
treat and  compel  him  to  come  to  action.  For  the  moment,  no 
one  could  tell  how  the  affair  would  turn  out,  but  the  troops 
at  Bohotle  were  in  the  finest  spirits,  and  confident  of  success. 
Making  little  of  the  privations  before  them,  therefore,  they 
welcomed  the  notes  of  the  bugle  which  sounded  the  reveille 
on  the  morning  selected  for  the  advance,  and  fell  into  their 
ranks  with  faces  which  showed  their  enthusiasm.  Had  their 
leader  but  known  the  precarious  position  of  Jim's  zareba,  and 
the  fact  that  our  hero  himself,  together  with  three  friends, 
was  at  that  moment  awaiting  the  attack  of  the  Mullah's  whole 
force,  he  would  have  pushed  on  with  even  greater  haste,  for 
his  men  were  fit  and  ready  for  any  exertions.  But  though 
he  was  aware  of  the  marching  of  a  small  expedition  into  the 
interior,  and  knew  what  its  object  was,  he  had  received  no 
tidings  of  the  fortune  or  misfortune  which  had  befallen  it, 
and  therefore,  in  accordance  with  the  arrangements  which  he 
had  so  carefully  drawn  out,  he  did  not  venture  to  begin  his 
march  across  the  Hoad  before  the  date  which  had  been  agreed 

306 


A  Strategic  Retreat 


upon.  Now,  however,  the  time  for  action  had  arrived,  and 
with  a  feeling  of  enthusiasm  which  was  not  less  than  that 
displayed  by  his  officers  and  men,  he  gave  the  order  to  march, 
and,  having  seen  the  advance  guard  leave  the  camp,  sat  there 
upon  his  pony  in  the  glare  of  the  morning  sun,  watching 
critically  as  each  battalion  and  each  portion  of  the  transport 
corps  passed  him.  Then  waving  a  farewell  to  the  unlucky 
ones  who  were  to  remain  behind  to  garrison  Bohotle,  and  who 
gave  him  a  ringing  cheer  in  return,  he  set  his  beast  into  a 
canter,  and  in  due  time  took  his  post  at  the  head  of  his 
men. 

The  expedition  which  had  been  gathering  at  Obbia  and 
elsewhere  on  the  Abyssinian  frontier  had  also  set  out  on  the 
date  agreed  upon,  and  were  even  then  pushing  forward  as 
rapidly  as  possible  in  the  hope  of  coming  to  close  quarters 
with  the  Mullah. 

With  this  knowledge,  let  us  return  to  the  fugitives  in  the 
mine.  Seated  upon  the  edge  of  their  trench,  with  their  faces 
glued  to  the  embrasures  which  perforated  the  low  bank  of 
sand  in  front  of  them,  our  hero  and  his  comrades  had  kept 
their  eyes  intently  fixed  upon  the  Somali  scouts,  and  had 
seen,  with  a  thrill  of  excitement,  that  these  men  had  already 
guessed  their  whereabouts. 

"  They  are  signalling  to  the  others,"  said  Jim  with  an  effort 
to  keep  his  voice  steady.  "  I  suppose  we  must  soon  expect  to 
have  a  large  force  attacking  us." 

"  That  just  depends  upon  how  long  it  takes  for  the  news 
to  spread,"  remarked  the  colonel,  his  calmness  quite  unruffled 
by  the  sudden  excitement.  "  Unless  those  fellows  who  are 
waving  and  shouting  from  the  top  of  the  hill  can  be  seen  a 
long  distance  away,  it  seems  to  me  that  it  may  be  many  hours 
before  the  others  are  informed  of  our  discovery,  and  conse- 

307 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

quently  no  serious   attack  will  be  made   upon  us   for   the 
present." 

"  The  deduction  is  a  good  one,  but,  unfortunately,  the  facts 
are  not  precise,"  interposed  John  Margetson,  in  tones  which 
showed  that  the  turn  events  had  taken  had  not  been  without 
its  effect  upon  him.  "  I  am  quite  an  old  resident  in  this 
country,  you  must  remember,  and  I  shall  tell  you  one  of  the 
many  things  which  I  have  learnt.  It  is  the  power  these 
natives  have  of  transmitting  news  to  one  another  across  long 
distances.  Those  beggars  whom  you  see  up  there,  apparently 
waving  their  arms  in  a  reckless  manner,  are,  nevertheless, 
fully  alert  and  quite  aware  of  what  they  are  doing.  Just  as 
we  in  the  Navy  use  semaphores  to  convey  our  news  to  distant 
vessels,  so  do  these  Somali  fellows  roughly  send  their  mes- 
sages to  one  another  by  means  of  their  arms.  Look  at  that 
chap  up  there!  He  is  standing  alone  on  the  summit  of  the 
hill,  so  that  his  figure  is  against  the  sky-line,  while  his  com- 
rades are  taking  care  to  keep  well  away  from  him,  so  that 
those  who  are  looking  on  at  a  distance  shall  not  be  confused. 
You  may  take  it  from  me  that  there  is  another  native,  a  mile 
or  more  away,  upon  a  second  hill,  and  still  another  elsewhere. 
By  their  means  the  order  to  concentrate  at  this  ravine  will 
flash  across  the  country,  and  the  swift  ponies  which  these 
Somalis  possess  will  quickly  bring  them  to  the  spot." 

"  Then  we  must  make  up  our  minds  for  an  early  fight," 
said  Jim  calmly ;  "  and,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  we  are  fully  pre- 
pared, and  have  no  need  to  do  more  than  sit  where  we  are, 
awaiting  developments.  We've  fed,  and  feel  contented. 
For  my  part,  having  so  recently  had  a  brush  with  the  native 
tribesmen,  I  feel  confident  that  our  chances  are  good,  and 
that,  so  long  as  our  ammunition  lasts,  we  can  defy  these 
people." 

308 


A  Strategic  Retreat 

"  That's  just  the  way  to  take  it,  my  boy,"  sang  out  Colonel 
Hubbard  cheerily.  "  Recklessness  in  a  soldier  is,  as  a  general 
rule,  inexcusable,  for  he  should  take  good  care  to  count  the 
odds.  But  I  freely  admit  that  the  forlorn  hope  has  on  many 
occasions  gained  us  a  victory,  though  it  is  not  advisable.  But 
there  is  nothing  like  going  into  an  engagement  with  fuh 
belief  in  yourself,  for  then  you  have  every  determination  to 
be  successful.  As  to  the  power  these  beggars  have  of  signal- 
ling, it  is  an  interesting  piece  of  information,  and  one  of 
which  I  was  quite  unaware.  But  the  news  does  not  absolutely 
astound  me,  for  I  have  met  with  a  similar  thing  else- 
where. For  instance,  look  at  the  Kaffirs,  who  inhabit  a 
land  in  which  we  have  been  so  recently  fighting.  They  have 
some  extraordinary  means  of  conveying  tidings  to  one  an- 
other. Indeed,  the  result  of  large  engagements,  and  even  of 
small  skirmishes,  was  known  by  these  people  a  hundred  and 
more  miles  away  long  before  our  telegraphists  had  been  able 
to  send  it  over  the  wires.  But  we  must  not  occupy  our  at- 
tention with  these  matters  at  the  present  moment,  for  there 
is  no  doubt  that  we  are  in  for  a  struggle.  I  therefore  propose 
that  we  inspect  arms  at  once." 

Acting  on  this  suggestion,  all  the  available  weapons  were 
brought  forward  and  their  merits  discussed.  Then  the  am- 
munition was  carefully  counted  out  and  put  in  a  convenient 
spot.  It  was  found  that  the  party  owned  two  modern  rifles 
which  Jim  and  Ali  Kumar  had  brought  with  them  from  the 
zareba,  and  for  which  a  large  store  of  cartridges  was  available. 
Then  there  was  the  muzzle-loading  gun  which  John  Marget- 
son  had  thoughtfully  carried  away  from  the  store-hut,  to- 
gether with  a  quantity  of  powder  and  a  bag  of  slugs,  while  in 
his  belt  he  still  retained  the  revolver  which  Jim  had  handed 
to  him.    As  for  the  colonel,  his  son  had  presented  him  with 

309 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

the  second  revolver,  so  that  each  one  of  the  party  was  fully 
armed,  while  there  was  one  firearm  over  in  case  of  accidents. 
In  addition,  they  possessed  the  long  double-handled  native 
sword,  in  case  of  attack  at  close  quarters. 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  we  are  excellently  provided,"  re- 
marked Jim,  when  the  inspection  was  completed.  "  If  we 
are  careful  not  to  throw  away  a  shot,  our  ammunition  should 
last  for  a  considerable  time.  The  bag  of  slugs  will  be  the 
first  to  require  replenishing,  and  in  that  case  I  should 
imagine  a  few  chips  from  one  of  these  stone  slabs  would 
answer  the  purpose  just  as  well.  But — I  say — look  at  those 
fellows !  " 

The  group  of  Somali  warriors,  who  had  been  standing  upon 
the  hill-top  signalling  to  their  friends,  had  become  greatly 
enlarged,  and  within  a  very  short  space  of  time  some  two 
hundred  men  were  stationed  there,  staring  down  into  the 
ravine,  and  looking  with  suspicion  at  the  entrance  to  the 
mine.  But  as  yet  not  one  had  dared  to  enter  the  haunted 
valley,  though  they  did  not  hesitate  to  crowd  together  at  the 
opening,  as  if  in  the  act  of  doing  so. 

An  hour  later  their  numbers  had  increased  to  quite  double, 
while  a  movement  amongst  them  showed  that  some  leader 
was  expected.  That  it  should  prove  to  be  the  Mullah  himself 
was  not  wonderful,  for  he  had  promised  to  help  his  followers 
to  capture  the  runaways.  His  charger  was  soon  seen  upon 
the  sky-line,  while  a  figure  stood  with  the  reins  hooked  over 
his  arm,  listening  to  the  words  of  his  scouts. 

"  Now  something  will  happen,"  said  the  colonel  calmly. 
"  That  rogue  will  find  some  means  by  which  to  quiet  his 
followers'  fears,  though  I  doubt  whether  he  will  dare  to  lead 
them  in  person.  See!  He  is  haranguing  them,  and  to  show 
that  there  is  no  danger  to  be  apprehended,  he  is  descending 

310 


A  Strategic  Retreat 

into  the  valley  alone.  By  Jove!  With  those  rifles  we  could 
knock  him  over  to  a  certainty.  But  fair  play's  a  jewel,  and 
for  myself,  I  confess  that  I  don't  care  to  fire  at  a  man  unless 
I  know  that  he  is  about  to  do  the  same  to  me;  it's  too  much 
like  murder  to  sight  a  weapon  for  a  native  clambering  down 
the  slope  of  a  hill  and  pull  the  trigger  on  him.  All  the  same, 
the  prejudice  is  a  silly  one,  for  were  we  to  drop  him  in  his 
tracks,  the  chances  are  that  his  followers  would  decamp,  and 
in  that  case  the  expeditions  which  are  about  to  march  into 
the  country  would  find  that  they  had  little  work  to  do.  Look 
at  the  ruffian !  " 

Clambering  down  the  steep  slope  of  the  hill,  it  was  not 
long  before  the  Mullah  had  gained  the  centre  of  the  ravine, 
where  he  stood  for  some  few  moments,  observing  the  paved 
road  which  traversed  it.  Then  he  turned  to  his  followers, 
and  called  loudly  to  them  to  come  and  join  him. 

"  Slide  down,  and  have  no  fear !  "  he  shouted  in  reassuring 
tones.  "  The  story  that  this  place  is  haunted  is  an  old 
woman's  tale,  made  only  to  frighten  the  children.  But  you 
are  brave  men,  and  there  are  your  enemies,  the  infidel  dogs, 
who  have  had  the  insolence  to  come  hither.  By  Allah!  I 
swear  to  you  that  no  harm  shall  befall  you,  and  I  call  upon 
you  once  more  to  join  me,  and  then  to  rush  with  all  your  fury 
upon  the  mine." 

For  a  short  space  of  time  it  was  clear  that  his  followers 
hesitated,  but  on  the  Mullah's  repeating  his  assurances,  they 
began  to  descend  one  by  one,  and  then  came  sliding  and 
running  down  in  a  body.  Very  soon  they  were  collected 
together  in  the  centre  of  the  ravine,  and  at  a  shout  from 
their  leader  they  advanced  towards  thfe  mine. 

"  Now,  Jim,"  whispered  the  colonel,  "  we're  in  your  hands, 
for  you  are  the  senior  officer  at  present." 

3" 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Then  hold  your  fire  till  I  give  the  word,"  was  the  calm 
response,  "  and  then  you  can  blaze  into  them  for  all  you  are 
worth." 

Standing  on  the  stone  pavement  at  the  bottom  of  their 
trench,  each  of  the  defenders  carefully  adjusted  his  weapon, 
Jim  and  Ali  taking  care  to  throw  open  the  catch  of  their 
magazines,  while  John  Margetson  placed  the  spare  revolver 
close  at  hand,  so  that,  when  his  gun  was  discharged,  he  would 
still  have  something  to  fall  back  upon.  Then,  in  absolute 
silence,  and  without  allowing  any  portion  of  their  figures  to 
be  observed,  they  waited  with  fast-beating  hearts  for  the 
attack  of  the  enemy.  It  came  even  sooner  than  they  had 
expected,  for,  spurred  on  by  the  Mullah's  words  of  encourage- 
ment, and  by  their  own  fanatical  hatred  of  the  infidel,  the 
mass  of  Somali  warriors  came  bounding  towards  the  mine, 
those  on  the  outer  edge  crushing  towards  the  centre  in  their 
desire  to  take  a  part  in  the  battle.  As  a  result,  they  became 
closely  jammed  together,  and  arrived  at  the  arched  entrance 
in  this  formation. 

"  Fire !  "  cried  Jim,  when  they  were  only  a  few  yards  away. 

Instantly  the  guns  of  the  defenders  rang  out  and  poured  a 
perfect  hail  of  missiles  into  the  enemy.  At  such  a  close 
range  it  was  impossible  to  miss  one's  aim,  and  therefore  the 
losses  sustained  by  the  Somalis  were  very  great.  Indeed,  so 
unexpected  was  the  volley,  and  so  disconcerted  were  they  at 
the  fall  of  their  comrades,  that  all  at  once  stopped  their  mad 
rush  at  the  mine,  and  stood  there  aghast  at  the  slaughter, 
and  hesitating  how  to  act.  The  breathing-space  thus  afforded 
was  taken  full  advantage  of  by  Jim  and  his  friends,  for,  in- 
stantly reloading,  they  sent  a  second  volley  into  the  attackers. 
Its  effect  was  excellent,  for,  finding  that  more  of  their  fellow- 
warriors  were  falling,  and  that  as  yet  not  one  of  them  had 

312 


A  Strategic  Retreat 

caught  sight  of  the  enemy,  the  Somalis  gave  vent  to  a  howl 
of  dismay,  and  retreated  at  the  top  of  their  speed.  Nor  did 
they  pause  until  they  had  clambered  from  the  ravine  to  the 
top  of  the  slope  outside. 

"  That  will  make  them  think  twice  about  the  matter,"  said 
the  colonel,  with  a  chuckle.  "  And  just  look  at  their  leader ! 
He  took  particular  care  not  to  join  in  the  attack,  and  was  the 
very  first  to  scramble  away  to  a  safe  distance.  However,  a 
humbug,  such  as  he  is,  will  soon  stir  up  the  tribesmen  again 
by  reminding  them  that  we  are  few  in  numbers,  and  that  the 
score  against  us  is  a  heavy  one.  Then,  no  doubt,  we  can 
expect  a  second  attack,  and,  if  I  know  their  wily  commander 
at  all,  he  will  adopt  different  tactics." 

How  true  the  prophecy  of  the  colonel  was  destined  to  be 
was  soon  found  out,  for,  after  retiring  out  of  sight  for  a  short 
period,  the  Somalis  again  appeared  on  the  surrounding 
heights.  Then  they  dropped  silently  into  the  ravine,  and, 
lying  down  in  the  long  grass  at  the  foot  of  the  hills,  began  to 
pour  a  hot  fire  into  the  mine.  Soon,  indeed,  the  air  was  alive 
with  their  slugs  and  bullets,  which  came  whistling  in  through 
the  opening.  But,  thanks  to  the  trench  which  John  Marget- 
son  had  suggested,  the  defenders  ran  no  danger  of  being  hit, 
but  sat  down  at  the  bottom,  placidly  listening  to  the  uproar. 
For  half  an  hour  the  fusillade  continued  without  cessation, 
and,  indeed,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  became  even  louder  and 
fiercer. 

"  It  sounds  as  though  they  had  been  strongly  reinforced," 
remarked  Jim,  whose  coolness  had  never  for  a  moment  de- 
serted him.  "  I'll  just  take  a  look  through  one  of  our  peep- 
holes and  see  what  is  happening,  for  it  would  never  do  to 
make  the  sudden  discovery  that  they  were  rushing  upon  us 


again." 


313 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

Accordingly,  taking  every  precaution  not  to  expose  himself 
to  the  bullets,  he  cautiously  raised  an  eye  to  one  of  the  em- 
brasures, and  closely  inspected  the  ravine.  He  found  that 
what  he  had  thought  had  just  occurred,  for  even  then  scores 
of  men  were  climbing  over  the  hill-tops,  to  slide  at  once  into 
the  valley  beneath.  Down  below  a  large  force  of  Somalis  was 
gathered,  and  these,  it  was  easy  to  perceive,  were  filled  with 
excitement,  and  eager  for  the  attack.  They  were  shouting  to 
one  another,  and  brandishing  their  weapons. 

"  We  can  expect  a  second  rush  in  a  few  moments,"  said 
Jim,  sinking  into  the  trench  again ;  "  there  are  scores  of  the 
enemy,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  we  shall  be  wise  if  we  at  once 
take  steps  to  arrange  for  a  retreat.  I  cannot  think  that  our 
four  weapons  will  be  sufficient  to  keep  them  out.  No  doubt 
we  shall  kill  a  number  of  them,  but  all  are  in  such  desperate 
earnest  that  those  who  survive  will  come  on,  in  spite  of  their 
losses,  and  once  they  get  to  close  quarters  with  us,  we  shall 
be  done  for.  I  suggest,  therefore,  that  a  couple  of  us  go  and 
investigate  those  passages,  while  the  others  keep  watch  here. 
Then,  as  soon  as  the  advance  begins,  a  shout  will  bring  us 
together  again." 

"  A  good  soldier  should  always  arrange  for  an  orderly  re- 
tirement," remarked  the  colonel  thoughtfully,  "  for  it  is  not 
always  wise  to  burn  your  boats  behind  you,  or  destroy  your 
bridges.  I  must  confess  that  in  this  case  we  shall  be  wise  to 
do  as  my  son  suggests,  for  it  will  help  us  to  fight  the  harder 
if  we  possess  the  knowledge  that  retreat  is  possible.  At  the 
same  time,  I  am  quite  sure  that  we  are  men  enough  to  stand 
to  our  guns  to  the  very  last,  and,  in  spite  of  a  means  of 
retirement,  to  stick  to  our  position  so  long  as  it  is  tenable." 

"  Hear,  hear ! "  sang  out  John  Margetson,  who,  as  the 
danger  increased,  seemed  to  become  more  cheerful.    "  Both  of 

3M 


A  Strategic  Retreat 

you  have  made  most  excellent  proposals,  and,  as  they  do  not 
need  seconding,  I  shall  show  my  approval  by  at  once  volun- 
teering to  form  one  of  the  exploring  party." 

"  Then  Jim  had  better  go  with  you,  my  friend.  I  will 
remain  here  with  Ali,  and  when  you  hear  a  shout,  come  back 
to  us  as  fast  as  you  can." 

The  question  having  thus  been  settled,  and  it  being  evident 
that  there  was  no  time  for  delay,  the  two  who  had  been 
selected  for  the  enterprise  left  their  weapons  on  the  edge  of 
the  sandbank,  and,  crawling  from  the  trench,  crept  to  the 
left,  where  they  were  quickly  out  of  the  range  of  the  bullets. 
Then  they  sprang  to  their  feet  and  ran  to  the  fire,  which  still 
smouldered,  and,  snatching  a  couple  of  the  largest  brands, 
stepped  towards  the  many  openings  which  ran  from  the 
entrance-hall  into  the  workings  of  the  mine. 

"  Which  one  ?  "  asked  John  Margetson,  holding  his  torch 
aloft.  "  All  are  of  exactly  the  same  size  and  appearance,  so 
that  it  is  difficult  to  make  a  choice." 

"  Then  I  vote  for  the  central  arch,"  cried  Jim.  "  Come 
along." 

Darting  across  the  intervening  space,  which  was  swept  by 
a  cloud  of  bullets,  they  plunged  into  the  dark  opening,  and 
then,  with  firebrands  held  well  in  front  of  them,  advanced  at 
as  rapid  a  pace  as  possible.  They  found  themselves  in  a 
tunnel,  which  was  of  sufficient  height  to  allow  them  to  stand 
easily.  A  glance  on  either  side  showed  them  that  the  walls 
were  composed  of  bare  rock,  or  of  sandstone,  while  the  roof 
was  supported  at  short  intervals  by  buttresses  of  stone  on 
either  hand,  and  by  a  girder  of  the  same  material  stretched 
from  summit  to  summit.  Like  the  hall  and  the  ravine  out- 
side, the  floor  was  paved  with  square  blocks,  but  in  parts  these 
had  caved  in,  and  the  recesses  were  filled  with  dark  pools  of 

315 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

water.  Elsewhere  falls  of  the  roof  and  of  the  sides  had  taken 
place,  and  obstructed  the  passage,  but  in  no  place  did  it  close 
it  completely.  Indeed,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  hundreds  of 
years  had  probably  passed  since  the  workings  had  been  con- 
structed, their  condition  was  marvellous,  and  reflected  the 
greatest  credit  upon  those  who  had  slaved  at  their  construc- 
tion. 

But  Jim  and  his  comrade  had  little  time  for  observing  all 
these  points,  for  they  were  conscious  that  their  pressing  needs 
would  admit  of  no  delay.  Avoiding,  therefore,  the  depres- 
sions and  crevices  in  the  floor,  and  clambering  over  the 
mounds  formed  by  fallen  rocks  rnd  debris  from  the  roof 
above,  they  pushed  on  at  a  pace  which  brought  them  many  a 
bruise  from  projecting  obstacles.  But  they  never  seemed  to 
heed  them,  and,  scrambling  along,  had  quickly  traversed  some 
two  hundred  yards  of  the  tunnel.  At  this  point  they  came  to 
a  crossway,  where  a  passage  ran  to  right  and  left. 

"  I  should  think  that  our  best  plan  will  be  to  take  the  direct 
road,"  said  Jim,  coming  to  a  halt,  "  However,  we  will  just 
see  where  these  two  tunnels  lead  to.  You  take  that  on  the 
right,  John,  while  I  go  to  the  left.  If  after  walking  some 
twenty  yards  you  find  nothing  extraordinary,  return  at  once, 
and  meet  me  here." 

Without  discussing  the  question  further,  they  separated  at 
once.  When  they  met  again  in  the  space  of  a  couple  of 
minutes,  each  reported  that  the  crossway  opened  into  a 
parallel  tunnel  a  few  yards  away,  and  into  still  another 
farther  on. 

"  Then  it  looks  as  though  the  openings  from  the  entrance- 
hall  ran  on  into  the  hill,  diverging  slightly,  and  connected 
at  this  point  by  a  cross-cut.  Evidently  our  path  lies  right 
ahead." 

316 


A  Strategic  Retreat 

"  You've  hit  the  right  nail  this  time,  without  a  doubt," 
answered  John  Margetson.    "  Forward  is  the  word." 

When  they  had  advanced  some  two  or  three  hundred  yards 
farther,  the  explorers  suddenly  came  to  a  spot  where  the 
workings  converged,  and  here  they  found  a  chamber  which 
was  larger  even  than  that  at  the  entrance.  From  it  again 
there  were  many  exits,  into  which  they  dared  not  venture. 
However,  they  had  already  gone  far  enough  to  learn  that, 
should  the  enemy  prove  too  strong  for  them,  they  had  a  way 
of  retreat  which  would  enable  them  to  elude  pursuit  for  some 
time. 

"  I  doubt  even  whether  these  Somali  beggars  would  dare 
to  follow  us  as  far  as  this,"  said  John  Margetson ;  "  and  if 
they  do,  I  think  we  can  guarantee  that  they  shall  be  thor- 
oughly scared.  But  I  am  firmly  of  belief  that  by  pushing  on 
we  should  come  to  an  exit  on  the  other  side  of  this  enormous 
hill,  for  the  air  here  is  perfectly  pure  and  good,  which  is 
wonderful,  when  you  come  to  consider  the  age  of  these  work- 
ings. It  looks,  in  fact,  as  though  there  was  a  perfect  system 
of  ventilation,  a  precaution  which  the  ancients  were  too  wise 
to  neglect.    Hullo !    That  was  a  shout." 

At  that  moment  a  loud  cry  reached  their  ears,  the  sound, 
indeed,  seeming  to  be  collected  together  and  enlarged  by  the 
solid  walls  of  the  mine.  There  was  no  doubt  that  it  came 
from  the  two  defenders  who  were  watching  the  Mullah's 
followers,  and  at  once  Jim  and  his  companion  took  to  their 
heels,  and  raced  back  at  their  fastest  pace.  Arrived  at  the 
entrance-hall,  they  flung  their  brands  into  the  fire  and  darted 
across  the  floor  to  the  trench,  in  which  they  at  once  took  their 
places. 

"  You  have  returned  in  the.  nick  of  time,"  remarked  the 
colonel,  in  unruffled  tones,  "  for  those  fellows  outside  are  on 

3i7 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

the  point  of  attacking.  You  can  hear  for  yourself  that  the 
firing  has  ceased.     But  tell  me,  what  luck  have  you  had?" 

"  Splendid,  father.  We've  explored  the  central  tunnel,  and 
find  that  it  runs  on  for  a  considerable  distance  before  coming 
to  a  meeting-place  in  the  centre  of  the  hill,  from  which  a 
second  series  of  workings  emerge.  If  we  have  to  fly,  there 
will  be  plenty  of  room  in  which  to  play  hide-and-seek,  and 
always  a  chance  of  turning  upon  our  followers  and  punishing 
them." 

"  Then  we  put  the  command  in  your  hands  as  before,  my 
boy,  and  leave  it  to  you  to  give  the  word  to  retire.  But, 
remember,  all  of  you,  that  ammunition  is  valuable,  and  that 
you  must  not  forget  to  carry  every  cartridge  away  with  you." 

His  last  words  were  interrupted  by  a  perfect  babel  of 
sounds  which  came  from  the  ravine,  and  each  of  the  de- 
fenders at  once  sprang  to  his  position,  and,  looking  through 
the  embrasure,  saw  that  the  enemy  had  begun  to  advance. 
This  time  they  had  taken  the  precaution  to  observe  some 
order,  and  collecting  together  into  a  long,  tongue-like  band, 
came  rushing  up  the  central  road  towards  the  entrance  of  the 
mine.  As  before.  Jim  waited  calmly  until  they  were  within 
easy  range,  and  then  gave  the  word  to  fire.  Immediately  a 
volley  flashed  from  the  sandbank,  and  a  number  of  the  natives 
fell.  Then  the  defenders  emptied  their  magazines  into  the 
closely  packed  ranks,  and  set  to  work  with  all  haste  to  load 
again.  For  the  second  time  they  repeated  the  process,  caus- 
ing great  loss  to  the  enemy.  But,  in  spite  of  that  fact,  the 
latter  still  rushed  forward  with  marvellous  pluck,  and  with 
loud  shouts.  Leaping  over  the  bodies  of  the  fallen,  shrieking 
with  pain,  and  tumbling  headlong  to  the  ground  in  their 
haste,  they  struggled  fiercely  to  get  at  the  infidels.  Arriving 
at  the  deep  cutting  which  the  stream  had  made  through  the 

3i8 


A  Strategic  Retreat 

pathway,  the  foremost  leapt  it  successfully;  but  those  behind 
were  not  able  to  see  it  till  right  upon  its  edge,  and,  pushed  by 
those  who  followed  them,  fell  into  the  abyss  with  wild  shrieks. 
Soon  some  thirty  of  them  had  met  with  this  fate,  and  the 
gulley  was  full  to  overflowing.  But  their  comrades  never 
paused,  never  even  hesitated,  but,  roused  to  fury  by  the  loss 
of  their  friends,  and  by  the  stinging  hail  of  bullets  which  still 
swept  amongst  them,  came  on  with  fierce  determination,  and 
in  such  huge  numbers  that  it  quickly  became  clear  that  there 
was  no  stopping  them. 

"  Give  them  a  last  volley!  "  shouted  Jim,  raising  his  voice 
above  the  din.  "Now,  all  together,  and  afterwards  let  us 
bolt." 

Waiting  till  all  were  prepared,  the  four  defenders  rapidly 
emptied  their  magazines  into  the  enemy,  until  the  barrels  of 
their  weapons  were  so  hot  that  they  blistered  their  fingers. 
Then  snatching  up  the  piles  of  ammunition  which  they  had 
placed  close  at  hand,  they  scrambled  from  the  trench,  and, 
running  swiftly  across  the  entrance-hall,  dived  into  the 
central  tunnel,  for  all  the  world  like  rabbits  taking  to  their 
burrows. 

"  Halt !  "  cried  Jim  sharply,  at  this  moment.  "  Without  a 
torch  we  shall  be  lost.    Wait  here  till  I  get  one." 

Returning,  he  ran  to  the  fire,  and  quickly  secured  four 
flaming  brands,  then  he  rejoined  his  comrades,  noticing  as 
he  was  about  to  enter  the  workings  that  the  cries  of  the 
attackers  had  suddenly  ceased,  and  that  they  had  all  come 
to  a  halt  outside  the  mine,  as  if  too  fearful  to  enter  it.  Bui 
scarcely  had  the  fugitives  traversed  more  than  a  hundred 
yards  of  the  tunnel,  when  loud  shouts  and  cries  again  rent  the 
air,  and  being  magnified  by  the  enclosing  walls,  came  echoing 
and  reverberating  into  the  working.    Indeed,  the  natives  had 

3i9 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

at  last  overcome  their  superstitious  terrors,  and,  rendered 
desperate  by  the  baffling  tactics  of  the  infidels,  had  flowed 
into  the  entrance-hall  till  it  was  packed  with  humanity. 
Then  a  second  pause  ensued,  for  the  passages  which  led  on 
into  the  hill  looked  dark  and  forbidding.  However,  a  leader 
was  forthcoming,  who,  imitating  Jim's  example,  snatched  at 
one  of  the  fiery  brands,  and,  having  peered  into  each  one  of 
the  tunnels  in  succession,  finally  waved  to  his  comrades  to 
divide  and  search  all  of  them. 

Meanwhile  the  fugitives  had  sped  on  without  a  pause,  and 
very  soon  arrived  at  the  large  chamber,  which  seemed  to  be 
the  heart  of  the  workings.  And  here  they  halted  to  listen  for 
sounds  of  the  pursuers. 

"  It  is  perfectly  clear,"  said  the  colonel,  seating  himself  to 
regain  his  breath,  "  that  these  fellows  have  overcome  their 
fears,  and  are  in  hot  chase.  It  occurs  to  me  at  the  same  time 
that  the  movement  we  have  made  was  a  most  excellent  one, 
for  the  very  fact  that  there  are  so  many  channels  leading 
into  the  hill  will  cause  the  Somalis  to  divide  up  into  parties. 
Then  in  the  darkness  they  will  lose  one  another,  and  in  that 
way  will  fall  easy  victims  to  our  rifles,  if  they  happen  to 
come  up  with  us.  My  advice  is  that  we  sit  here  for  a  little 
while,  and  then  take  matters  more  easily,  for  we  shall  require 
all  our  powers  later.  Perhaps  we  shall  find  an  exit,  and  in 
that  case  we  shall  be  obliged  to  travel  fast  to  the  zareba." 

Accordingly  the  party  crossed  to  the  other  side  of  the 
chamber,  and  entered  the  tunnel  which  stood  opposite  to  that 
from  which  they  had  just  emerged.  Then  lowering  their 
torches,  so  that  the  flames  could  not  be  easily  observed,  they 
sat  down  to  await  events.  Presently  they  became  aware  that 
some,  at  least,  of  the  natives  were  close  at  hand,  and  prepared 
to  push  on,  or  repel  the  pursuers,  as  circumstances  should 

320 


A  Strategic  Retreat 


dictate.  But  there  was  no  need  for  interference  on  their  part, 
for  as  they  peered  into  the  depths  of  the  chamber,  the  glowing 
end  of  a  firebrand  suddenly  appeared,  the  feeble  light  en- 
abling them  to  perceive  that  five  men  only  accompanied  the 
bearer.  They  were  on  the  point  of  levelling  their  rifles  at 
these  intruders  when  there  was  a  shout  from  one  of  the  side 
tunnels,  and  before  the  onlookers  could  realize  what  was 
about  to  happen,  a  second  party  of  Somalis  rushed  into  the 
open  space,  and  mistaking  the  first  for  the  flying  infidels, 
threw  themselves  with  spear  and  sword  upon  them. 

"  I  almost  expected  a  catastrophe  of  that  sort,"  whispered 
the  colonel ;  "  and  it  is  very  probable  that  it  may  occur  else- 
where, for  our  pursuers  are  too  angry  to  be  cautious.  I  think 
we  may  safely  leave  them  to  themselves  and  push  on  now 
deeper  into  the  mine." 

Acting  upon  this  advice,  the  party  stole  silently  away  into 
the  darkness,  leaving  the  Somali  warriors  struggling  des- 
perately with  one  another.  A  trudge  of  nearly  half  a  mile 
brought  them  to  a  point  which  seemed  to  be  the  farthest  limit 
of  the  mine,  for  here  galleries  ran  in  every  direction,  and  a 
glance  at  the  rough  surfaces  of  the  walls  showed  that  the 
workings  had  been  deserted  in  a  hurry,  and  not  because  gold 
was  no  longer  to  be  found.  Indeed,  had  it  been  possible,  the 
three  Englishmen  would  have  gladly  stayed  to  investigate  the 
matter,  for  there  were  numerous  interesting  relics  scattered 
about.  But  to  delay  then  might  have  brought  disaster  to  the 
party,  and,  therefore,  they  at  once  began  to  search  for  an  exit. 

"  I  feel  sure  we  are  not  far  from  the  open  air,"  cried 
Jim,  suddenly  coming  to  a  stop  in  the  centre  of  a  wide  space, 
from  which  the  tiny  galleries  cut  into  the  hill.  "  Come  here, 
and  you  will  feel  quite  a  draught  blowing  upon  your  heads, 

and By  Jove !    Look  at  my  torch !  " 

321 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

He  held  the  brand  above  his  head,  and  as  he  did  so  the  dull 
red  end  began  to  glow  brightly,  and  then,  fanned  by  an  in- 
visible stream  of  air  which  played  upon  it,  it  burst  into  a 
brilliant  flame,  which  effectually  lit  up  the  surroundings. 

"  A  grand  find,  my  boy !  "  shouted  the  colonel,  for  the  first 
time  showing  some  trace  of  excitement.  "  By  the  aid  of  that 
flaring  brand  we  shall  find  our  way  to  liberty.  Push  on,  and 
when  you  see  the  light  die  down,  you  will  know  at  once  that 
we  are  moving  in  the  wrong  direction." 

Jim  needed  no  further  encouragement,  but,  with  his  rifle 
grasped  in  one  hand,  strode  forward,  keeping  his  eye  fixed 
upon  the  torch.  And  all  the  while  he  could  feel  the  cold  air 
blowing  upon  his  face  as  it  rushed  into  the  workings  through 
the  ventilating  shaft.  Soon  he  came  to  a  large  square  orifice, 
and  entering  it  without  hesitation,  he  went  on  till  almost 
stopped  by  the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere.  Following  him 
closely,  his  companions  were  struck  with  wonder  at  the 
draught  and  watched  in  amazement  as  their  torches  kindled 
even  brighter  and  sent  long  flames  to  the  roof  above. 

"  It  is  almost  beyond  belief,"  murmured  John  Margetson, 
breaking  in  upon  the  silence,  "  and  I  cannot  realize  how  it  is 
that  the  ventilation  of  the  mine  is  managed.  In  a  coal-pit 
there  would  be  an  up-cast  and  a  down-cast  shaft,  with  some 
arrangement  at  the  former  to  cause  the  air  to  rush  in  that 
direction.    But  here  we  have  come  across  nothing  of  the  sort." 

"  It  would  take  a  week  to  discover  the  cause,"  answered 
the  colonel,  "  but  I  have  been  through  similar  mines,  and 
have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  people  who  constructed 
them  were  most  capable  engineers.     Hullo !     What's  that  ?  " 

As  he  spoke,  the  party  came  to  an  abrupt  halt,  and  gave 
vent  to  cries  of  delight,  for  away  ahead  of  them  was  a  square 
patch  of  light,  the  goal  for  which  they  had  been  aiming. 

322 


CHAPTER  XX 

BACK  TO  THE   COAST 

"  The  exit !  A  means  by  which  we  may  make  good  our 
escape  from  the  mine,  leaving  the  enemy  utterly  baffled !  " 
shouted  the  colonel,  as  the  square  of  brilliant  light  suddenly 
came  into  view,  permitting,  for  the  second  time  since  his 
rescue  from  the  Mullah's  village,  his  usual  composure  to  give 
way  to  the  excitement  of  the  moment.  "  Phew !  What  a 
breeze !  It  is  as  much  as  one  can  do  to  force  a  path  towards 
the  opening,  for  the  draught  comes  singing  in  like  a  mag- 
nified gale,  and  fairly  makes  one  stagger." 

"  Clever  beggars,  those  old  fellows  who  engineered  the 
concern,"  gasped  John  Margetson,  turning  his  face  from  the 
stream  of  air,  so  as  to  breathe  more  freely.  "  This  is  un- 
doubtedly their  ventilating  shaft;  and,  George!  how  fond 
they  must  have  been  of  a  breeze.  The  hottest  day  in  the 
tropics  would  be  cool  if  spent  in  this  tunnel,  while  in  the 
winter " 

"  A  case  of  freezing,"  laughed  the  colonel.  "  The  gale 
fairly  sweeps  and  rushes  in,  and  the  atmosphere  must  reach 
to  the  farthest  corner  and  nook  of  the  mine,  and  clear  it 
thoroughly.    It  is  marvellous." 

"  It  is  fine,  I  admit,"  said  Jim  at  this  moment,  joining  in 
the  conversation  curtly ;  "  but  talking  will  not  help  us  to  get 
away  from  those  fellows — will  it,  father?" 

"  Quite  right !  The  lad  speaks  the  truth,  and  we  deserve 
to  be  reproved,"  was  the  smiling  answer.     "  There  is  a  time 

323 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

for  everything,  and  at  the  present  moment  we  have  to  think 
of  our  lives,  and  of  the  comrades  whom  we  hope  to  join.  But 
I  will  return  here  one  of  these  days,  when  the  Mullah  has 
had  his  licking;  and  then  how  I  shall  enjoy  exploring  every 
inch  of  this  place!  But  forward!  What  is  the  next  move, 
Jim?" 

"  Let  us  get  to  the  opening  and  take  a  look  out,  father. 
Till  then  I  cannot  say.  We  may  find  that  the  Somalis  are 
already  there,  expecting  our  arrival,  and  in  that  case  we  shall 
have  to  retire  to  tin*  workings  again.  If  not,  we  must  hold  a 
council,  and  discuss  what  we  must  do  to  get  to  the  zareba. 
Of  course,  we  might  make  for  the  coast  alone;  but,  then, 
that  would  be  leaving  my  friend  in  the  lurch,  for  he  is 
waiting  for  us  patiently." 

"It  would  be  the  act  of  cowards,"  cried  the  colonel.  "  Our 
duty  is  to  save  ourselves,  and  to  join  hands  with  this 
gallant  young  fellow  who  has  accompanied  you  into  the 
country.  Let  us  get  ahead,  my  char  lad,  for  I  must  admit 
that  this  tunnel,  at  first  so  cool  and  invigorating,  is  now 
somewhat  too  cold  for  my  liking.  And  then,  the  breeze  comes 
in  with  such  a  rush  that  it  is  difficult  to  breathe,  and  talking 
is  no  easy  matter." 

"  Then  on  we  go,"  said  Jim  shortly,  turning  to  the  opening 
at  once,  from  which,  like  his  companions,  he  had  been  glad  to 
keep  his  face  away. 

With  torches  held  aloft,  and  spouting  long  streams  of 
brilliant  flame  from  their  glowing  ends,  the  little  party  sped 
on  up  the  incline  which  led  to  the  patch  of  daylight,  their 
thoughts  all  the  while  bent  upon  the  possible  chances  of 
ultimate  escape.  All  realized  that  they  had  perhaps  a 
thousand  fanatical  foes  to  deal  with,  and  that  many,  many 
miles  of  rolling  country  intervened  between  themselves  and 

324 


Back  to  the  Coast 

the  zareba  away  in  the  desert.  Could  they  hope  to  make  their 
way  there  without  discovery?  Was  it  not  more  than  likely 
that  before  their  weary  feet  had  carried  them  more  than  a 
tenth  of  the  distance,  these  fierce  warriors  would  be  upon 
them?  But  there  was  little  use  in  imagining  such  things, 
and  as  nothing  could  be  known  for  certain  till  the  opening 
of  the  air-shaft  was  reached,  they  all  hastened  forward  at 
as  fast  a  pace  as  possible,  gasping  for  air,  with  bodies  leaning 
forward  upon  the  column  of  wind  pouring  into  the  mine, 
fighting  their  way  through  its  very  centre. 

"  Hurrah !  "  cried  Jim  at  length,  as  his  hand  came  in 
contact  with  the  solid  arch  of  masonry  which  marked  the 
entrance.  "  The  open  sky  again.  And  now  for  a  look 
round." 

"  Be  cautious,  master,"  came  Ali's  voice  at  this  moment. 
"  You  have  told  me  that  these  men  who  cry  to  Allah  have 
scattered  in  search  of  the  runaways.  It  may  well  be  that 
some  are  even  now  close  at  hand,  and  will  see  you  the  instant 
your  head  appears.  Be  careful,  therfore,  I  beg  of  you,  for 
we  cannot  hope  for  such  good  fortune  a  second  time." 

"  He  needs  no  warning,  this  leader  of  ours,"  said  John 
Margetson,  halting  beside  our  hero.  "  Has  he  not  already 
shown  his  cuteness  ?  Leave  him  to  manage  the  matter  alone, 
friend  Ali." 

"  The  words  are  filled  with  truth,  sahib,  and  I  am  sorry," 
answered  the  native  follower  humbly.  "  I  should  know  of 
his  caution  and  wisdom  even  better  than  you  do,  seeing  that 
I  have  marched  beside  him  for  many  a  day.  But  this  danger 
has  made  me  nervous.  Never  in  my  life  before  have  I  been 
in  such  peril,  not  even  when  the  tribe  attacked  us  Li  the  pass 
on  our  way  hither.  Let  my  fears  be  my  excuse,  and  forgive 
me.    From  this  moment  I  shall  maintain  silence." 

325 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

Jim  very  cautiously  looked  about  him,  pushing  the  blades 
of  grass  aside  to  enable  him  to  see  clearly.  As  there  were  no 
trees  or  bushes  to  obstruct  the  view,  he  was  soon  able  to 
inform  his  comrades  that  not  a  single  one  of  the  enemy  was 
in  sight. 

"  They  are  all  on  the  other  side  of  the  hill,  rushing  into 
tbe  workings,"  he  said  with  a  smile  of  relief;  "and  now  it 
becomes  a  question  as  to  whether  we  should  move  in  the 
direction  of  the  desert,  or  whether  we  should  remain  here 
till  matters  have  calmed  down.  This  is  too  serious  a  decision 
for  me  to  arrive  at  alone,  and  therefore  I  call  all  of  you  in 
to  help  me." 

"  Hum,  a  very  difficult  situation,"  said  the  colonel,  pushing 
his  way  to  the  front  and  carefully  surveying  the  surrounding 
country.  "  I  see  hills  and  valleys  for  a  few  miles,  and  then, 
as  you  have  told  me,  a  dead  level  extends  to  the  zareba. 
This  is  the  most  dangerous  point  in  our  escape,  for  if  we 
leave  the  mine,  we  throw  comparative  safety  away.  On  the 
other  hand,  we  cannot  hope  to  remain  here  for  long.  Our 
provisions  will  soon  become  exhausted,  and,  moreover,  once 
having  overcome  their  fears,  and  having  dared  to  enter  the 
workings,  these  Somali  warriors  will  penetrate  to  its  farthest 
corners  in  search  of  their  prisoners.  Be  sure  of  this:  if  the 
news  of  an  advancing  English  column  has  angered  the 
Mullah,  this  impudent  and  successful  attempt  to  rescue  pris- 
oners from  under  his  very  eyes  will  rouse  him  to  fury,  and 
he  will  turn  aside  from  the  invading  force  in  order  to  capture 
us.  I  confess  that  I  hesitate.  Here  is  a  haven  for  a  time. 
Out  there,  sunny  and  sweet  as  the  country  looks,  it  promises 
disaster." 

"  He  who  hesitates  is  lost,"  whispered  John  Margetson  in 
his  ear.     "  Listen  to  me,  colonel ;  and  you,  too,  Jim.     To 

326 


Back  to  the  Coast 

remain  here  is  impossible.  That  is  how  I  read  it,  for  in 
an  hour  we  shall  be  discovered  by  the  searchers.  Therefore, 
there  can  be  no  question.  That  is  our  way.  Forward,  my 
friends." 

He  pointed  across  the  rolling  expanse  of  grass,  and  would 
have  emerged  from  the  shaft,  had  not  Jim  detained  him. 

"  Steady,"  he  said  quietly.  "  To  hop  out  there  into  the 
open  may  be  to  commit  the  greatest  of  errors.  A  glance  at 
you  would  convince  one  of  the  enemy  that  you  are  the 
escaping  sailor ;  and  then  what  a  shout  there  would  be ! " 

"  Well  ?     That  would  be  the  end  of  the  matter." 

"  Quite  so,"  responded  Jim  coolly.  "  But  look  at  me.  Am 
I  not  like  the  average  Somali  warrior  ? " 

"  Jove !  The  lad  has  a  way  to  help  us,"  shouted  the 
colonel.  "  Silence  while  we  listen  to  him.  A  Somali,  my 
boy  ?    Why,  your  disguise  is  undoubtedly  excellent." 

"  Then  I  shall  take  advantage  of  the  fact,  father.  Stay 
here,  all  of  you,  while  I  slip  out.  If  I  am  seen,  I  shall  be 
just  one  of  the  Mullah's  followers,  and  all  the  while  shall  be 
on  the  look-out  so  as  to  see  how  we  can  best  escape.  Ta,  ta. 
Wait  till  I  return." 

Before  they  could  stretch  out  a  friendly  arm  to  detain  him, 
Jim  was  outside  the  shaft,  and  was  running  up  the  slope  of 
the  hill.  Anxiously  did  his  comrades  await  his  return,  and 
more  than  once  they  were  tempted  to  throw  caution  to  the 
winds,  and,  giving  way  to  their  impatience,  to  rush  ino  the 
open  in  search  of  their  leader.  But  the  calmness  of  the 
colonel  held  them  back. 

"  Trust  the  lad,"  he  said,  his  head  held  proudly  in  the  air. 
"  He  has  done  as  well  as  any  man,  and  has  shown  that  he 
has  pluck  and  plenty  of  brains.  Give  him  a  full  half-hour 
before  we  make  any  movement.    Ah,  what  are  those  sounds  ?  " 

327 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  The  dogs  in  search  of  us,"  said  Ali,  placing  his  hand  to 
his  ear,  and  facing  down  the  shaft.  "  These  walls  carry  the 
sound  as  does  the  tube  which  they  have  in  Aden.  Have  I 
not  listened  at  one  end  to  hear  the  sound  of  a  comrade's 
voice?  Have  little  fear,  mastery  for  those  men  will  hardly 
dare  to  follow  us  into  this  shaft." 

"  Hush !  Here  is  someone  coming  towards  us !  "  exclaimed 
the  colonel,  in  a  warning  whisper  at  this  moment.  "  I  think 
it  is  Jim;  but  it  may  not  be.  He  is  evidently  hunting  for 
the  entrance." 

"  It  is  the  lad,  sure  enough,"  cried  John  Margetson,  staring 
out  of  the  shaft.  "  Look  at  the  condition  of  his  linen  cloth- 
ing. No  self-respecting  follower  of  Allah  would  dare  to  go 
abroad  in  such  a  dress.  He  is  travel-soiled,  and  there  can  be 
no  mistake  as  to  his  identity.    I  shall  call  to  him." 

Thrusting  his  arm  clear  of  the  opening,  he  waved  it,  and 
called  gently  to  Jim.  A  second  or  two  later  Jim  appeared 
at  the  entrance  of  the  shaft,  his  dusky  features  radiant  with 
smiles. 

"  Good  news !  "  he  cried  eagerly.  "  Not  one  of  the  enemy 
on  this  side,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  observe,  but  all  are 
in  the  ravine  beyond,  trying  to  screw  up  their  courage  to 
enter  the  mine  as  some  of  their  comrades  have  done." 

"  Then  they  do  not  suspect  that  we  are  on  the  farther 
side,"  said  the  colonel,  in  tones  of  relief.  "  Nevertheless, 
the  question  of  escape  is  still  one  of  difficulty." 

"  I  think  not,  father,"  answered  Jim  quietly.  "  We  have 
a  clear  field  before  us,  and  scarcely  forty  miles  to  cover." 

"  But,  good  gracious !  that  will  take  us  a  day  and  a  half 
at  least,"  cried  his  parent. 

"  On  foot — yes,"  said  Jim  gaily.    "  But  on  horseback,  say  * 
a  day  at  the  most." 

328 


Back  to  the  Coast 

"  Horseback !  What  do  you  mean  ? "  burst  in  those  who 
were  listening  to  him,  eagerly  pressing  aboout  their  young 
leader. 

"  Listen,"  was  the  smiling  rejoinder.  "  I  said  that  the 
followers  of  the  Mullah  were  on  the  farther  side  of  the  hill, 
but  I  did  not  tell  you  that  they  had  taken  their  animals  to 
the  ravine.  Obviously,  in  such  a  small  place,  there  would 
some  overcrowding,  for  there  is  not  too  much  room  for  the 
warriors  themselves." 

"  Then  where  are  they,  my  boy  ? "  demanded  the  colonel. 

"  Come  with  me,"  was  Jim's  quiet  answer,  "  but  be  careful 
not  to  show  yourselves  over  the  corner  of  the  hill.  The  horses 
are  grazing  quietly  in  a  little  nook,  a  small  valley  which  cuts 
into  this  long  hill,  and  they  are  practically  unwatched.  That 
was  a  point  about  which  I  took  a  deal  of  trouble,  and  I 
ascertained  without  a  doubt  that  only  one  man  was  stationed 
as  a  guard  over  the  beasts.  He,  like  his  comrades,  is  all 
eagerness  to  help  in  our  capture,  and  as  I  watched  him,  he 
was  for  ever  staring  into  the  ravine,  and  shouting  words  of 
encouragement  to  his  fellows.  He  is  the  only  man  we  have 
to  fear  at  the  present  moment." 

"  Then  he  is  the  only  one  who  shall  taste  one  of  our  bul- 
lets," said  John  Margetson  brusquely.  "  This  fellow  must  not 
be  allowed  to  give  the  alarm,  and  though  I  do  not  like  the 
action,  still  it  is  imperative  that  we  should  shoot  him. 
Otherwise  he  will  give  the  alarm,  and  we  shall  have  the  whole 
host  galloping  after  us." 

"  Running,  you  mean,"  replied  Jim,  with  an  easy  laugh. 
"  You  see,  we  want  more  than  a  few  ponies.  A  dozen  are 
useless  t©  us,  for  the  remainder  would  carry  the  enemy  in 
the  same  direction,  and  a  long  chase  is  a  hard  one,  you 
know." 

329 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  But  you  don't  propose "  gasped  the  colonel,  staring 

at  his  son  in  bewilderment. 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  do,  father !  If  we  are  to  escape,  we  shall  have 
to  take  the  bulk  of  the  ponies  for  a  few  miles  with  us.  A 
mile  would  not  do,  for  these  natives  can  run  very  fast.  But 
after,  say  five  miles,  all  but  a  very  few  would  have  fallen  off, 
and  the  remainder  we  could  easily  account  for.  If  we  ride 
away,  and  leave  the  animals  to  the  enemy,  we  shall  be  captives 
before  the  afternoon." 

For  a  minute  all  stared  at  their  young  leader  in  amaze- 
ment at  the  daring  of  his  plan ;  then  smacking  his  thigh,  as 
if  to  give  expression  to  his  thoughts,  John  Margetson  broke 
the  silence. 

"  The  Mullah  will  die  of  rage !  "  he  gasped,  while  a  smile 
of  delight  lit  up  his  sun-tanned  features.  "  Never  before  has 
he  been  so  treated,  and  now  to  see  his  prisoners  ride  away, 
taking  every  horse  he  possesses,  well ■" 

Evidently  the  thought  was  too  much  for  the  gallant  mate, 
for  he  lapsed  into  silence,  and  writhed,  as  if  his  feelings  were 
too  much  for  him.  As  for  the  colonel,  with  the  keenness  of 
a  trained  soldier,  he  at  once  grasped  the  importance  of  the 
proposed  movement. 

"  It  is  a  capital  plan,"  he  said,  with  decision.  "  Every 
pony  must  come  with  us,  and  this  fellow  who  watches  them 
must  be  shot  without  mercy.  Give  me  your  rifle,  Jim.  I 
am  too  old  a  campaigner  to  have  any  qualms,  and  in  such 
a  case  as  this  the  act  is  justified.    Now,  what  next  ?  " 

"  Forward,"  said  Jim  quietly.  "  When  we  reach  the  top  of 
the  hill,  Ali  will  stop  where  he  is,  and  we  others  shall  turn  to 
the  right.  Thirty  yards  from  Ali,  John  Margetson  will  come 
to  a  stop ;  another  interval,  and  father  will  do  the  same.  All 
will  wait  till  I  am  in  position.     I  shall  wave  my  arm,  and 

330 


Back  to  the  Coast 

then  we  shall  all  move  to  the  ponies.  Select  a  couple  of  the 
finest,  and  tie  their  halters  together.  Then  mount,  and  set 
the  remainder  in  motion.  They  are  well-trained  beasts,  and 
will  give  us  no  difficulty." 

A  glance  was  sufficient  to  show  that  his  comrades  com- 
prehended his  words,  and  at  once  turning,  Jim  led  the  way 
to  the  top  of  the  rise. 

"  Ah !  "  an  exclamation  burst  from  all  of  the  fugitives  at 
the  sight  of  some  two  hundred  horses  grazing  in  a  small 
valley  below. 

"  All  the  mounted  men  that  the  Mullah  happens  to  have 
within  call,"  murmured  John  Margetson.  "  No  doubt  the 
remainder  are  at  the  attack  of  the  zareba.  Now  for  the  fellow 
who  is  looking  after  the  horses." 

"  He  has  gone  to  take  a  look  at  his  comrades,"  said  Jim. 
"  Forward  again.     Ali,  you  stay  where  you  are." 

Turning  to  the  right,  the  three  Englishmen  at  once  hurried 
forward,  and  obedient  to  the  orders  of  their  young  leader, 
John  Margetson  and  the  colonel  halted  when  they  had  gained 
the  correct  distance.  Jim  kept  on  till  he  was  at  a  point 
slightly  beyond  the  horses.  Waiting  only  to  make  sure  that 
the  animals  were  now  surrounded,  he  waved  his  hand  to  his 
comrades  and  at  once  walked  quietly  towards  two  spirited- 
looking  ponies,  which  promised  to  be  amongst  the  strongest 
and  swiftest  there. 

"  Likely  little  beggars,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  If  they  will 
allow  me,  I  will  become  their  owner  for  the  time  being." 

A  few  paces  brought  him  beside  one  of  the  animals,  and 
with  a  bound  he  was  in  the  saddle.  Then  grasping  the  halter 
of  the  other,  he  made  a  turn  with  it  through  the  bridle  of  the 
pony  he  rode.  Then  he  began  to  round  up  that  part  of  the 
troop  between  him  and  his  comrades. 

33i 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

"  Look  out !  "  came  a  shout  iu  the  colonel's  voice ;  and 
turning  swiftly,  Jim  saw  a  figure  bounding  across  the  grass 
towards  him.  Snap,  bang!  went  a  rifle,  and  a  bullet  dis- 
charged by  the  colonel  whistled  past  the  head  of  the  pursuing 
Somali  warrior.  Bang!  A  second  had  no  better  effect,  and 
ere  a  third  could  be  attempted  the  man  was  upon  our  hero. 
Quick  as  lightning  Jim  dived  his  hand  into  his  waistcloth, 
only  to  discover  that  his  father  had  his  revolver.  He  was 
apparently  unarmed,  while  the  Somali  bore  a  flashing  spear, 
and  a  huge  sword  at  his  girdle.  "  Ah,  the  sword !  "  thought 
Jim,  and  instantly  recollected  that  he  had  thrust  the  weapon 
into  the  belt  tied  about  his  left  forearm. 

How  it  happened  Jim  never  knew,  but  in  the  shortest 
space  of  time  he  was  riding  forward,  driving  part  of  the 
troop  before  him,  while  behind,  huddled  upon  his  face  upon 
the  grass,  was  the  Somali  warrior,  a  murmured  "  Allah  "  on 
his  dying  lips. 

"  A  great  stroke !  Bravely  and  coolly  done !  "  shouted  the 
colonel,  who  had  looked  on  anxiously,  expecting  the  worst 
to  happen,  and  blaming  himself  for  his  want  of  skill.  "  A 
running  man  is  no  easy  object  when  one  is  mounted  upon  a 
fresh  pony  such  as  his;  but  all's  well.  It  was  a  stroke! 
The  lad  has  a  head,  and  can  look  well  to  himself.  I  thought 
the  spear  was  through  him,  and  almost  shouted,  but  he 
ducked  at  the  very  instant,  and  then — ah,  I  saw  the  blade 
go  well  home.  But  those  fellows  may  have  heard  the  shots, 
and  if  so,  we  shall  soon  be  followed." 

"  Forward !  "  came  Jim's  voice  at  this  moment ;  and  in- 
stantly all  began  to  urge  the  troop  of  animals  into  a  trot. 
Leaping  from  their  saddles,  they  picked  stones  from  the 
earth  and  then  pelted  the  beasts,  shouting  at  them  till  their 
trot  broke  into  a  gallop. 

332 


Back  to  the  Coast 

"  Now  keep  them  to  it,  and  if  they  try  to  stop,  make  a 
rush  at  them,"  shrieked  John  Margetson,  sitting  his  pony  in 
an  attitude  which  showed  clearly  that  he  was  no  horseman. 
"  Forward !     To  the  zareba  !  " 

It  was  a  time  of  wild  excitement,  and  each  of  the  fugitives 
entered  into  the  spirit  of  it  thoroughly.  Exhilarated  by  the 
quick  movement  over  the  rolling  hills  and  valleys,  with  the 
smell  of  the  horses  in  their  nostrils,  and  the  dust  of  four 
hundred  heels  in  their  eyes,  they  raced  over  the  grass,  driving 
the  frantic  animals  before  them.  A  thunderous  sound  filled 
the  air  as  the  animals  galloped,  but  loud  as  it  was  it  failed 
to  drown  that  shout  which  came  from  behind. 

"  Allah !  Allah !  They  have  escaped  us,  and  are  riding 
away !  Back !  Leave  the  mine,  and  run !  Money  and  a  high 
place  will  be  given  to  those  who  come  up  with  the  infidel !  " 

It  was  the  Mullah  who  had  heard  the  shots  aimed  at  the 
sentry,  and  had  climbed  to  the  top  of  the  hill  to  ascertain  the 
cause. 

"  Our  friend,  the  Mullah,  my  late  master,"  shouted  the 
colonel,  looking  grimly  over  his  shoulder.  "  Let  them  run, 
for  to  those  who  happen  to  come  in  touch  with  us  we  will  give 
more  than  the  Mullah  can  promise.  Death  to  them,  my 
friends !     Forward,  for  liberty  and  comrades  are  there." 

Waving  his  weapon  in  the  air,  he  looked  at  each  of  his 
comrades  in  turn,  and  smiled  at  them  encouragingly.  Then, 
with  a  shout  at  the  animals  directly  in  front  of  him,  he  sent 
them  ahead  at  an  even  greater  pace. 

An  hour  later,  when  the  little  band  of  fugitives  turned  in 
their  saddles,  and  brought  the  horses  to  a  standstill,  not  one 
of  the  Mullah's  followers  was  in  sight,  all  having  fallen  out 
from  the  chase. 

"  We'll  give  the  poor  beasts  a  breather  now,"  said  Jim, 

333 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

dropping  to  the  ground  and  going  to  his  father's  side.  "  We 
have  put  a  good  ten  miles  between  us  and  the  enemy,  and  I 
fancy  we  can  say  '  good-bye '  to  them." 

"  But  there  must  be  no  delaying,"  burst  in  John  Margetson. 
"  Though  we  have  prevented  immediate  pursuit,  there  will  be 
other  horses  in  the  village,  and  by  now  these  are  tearing  in 
this  direction.  I  advise  that  when  we  have  waited  for  some 
ten  minutes  we  select  the  best  of  these  animals,  and  then 
press  them  forward.  They  are  fine  and  wiry  beasts,  and  will 
make  little  of  the  forty  miles  if  ridden  fairly.  We  will  loosen 
the  girths,  and  throw  away  all  but  the  saddle  and  bridle,  so 
as  to  relieve  them  of  any  unnecessary  weight.  Then,  by 
changing  from  animal  to  animal,  say  every  half -hour,  we 
shall  be  able  to  reach  the  zareba  without  more  than  an 
occasional  halt." 

Acting  upon  his  words,  the  little  band  at  once  set  about 
discarding  those  of  the  ponies  which  seemed  to  be  in  bad 
condition.  Twenty  of  the  finest  were  kept,  and  having  been 
relieved  of  all  forage-bags  and  other  impediments,  were 
driven  ahead  of  the  others. 

"  The  tracks  will  be  plain  to  the  enemy,"  said  Jim,  looking 
at  the  wide  trail  of  trampled  grass  which  the  troop  had  left 
behind  it;  "so  it  will  be  useless  to  hide  these  remaining 
animals  by  driving  them  into  a  ravine.  After  all,  till  some- 
one can  escort  them  back,  or  the  Mullah's  men  can  run  as  far 
as  this,  the  horses  will  be  of  no  service  to  them.  Are  we  all 
ready?     Then  on  we  go." 

Leaving  the  bulk  of  the  horses  panting  upon  the  road,  they 
set  off  again,  and  did  not  draw  rein  save  to  change  from  one 
animal  to  another,  or  to  give  the  beasts  a  few  moments'  rest. 
By  evening  they  were  cantering  over  the  sandy  stretch  of 
desert,  and  ere  long  they  were  in  sight  of  the  oasis  where 

334 


Back  to  the  Coast 

Tom  and  the  remainder  of  the  expedition  had  been  quar- 
tered. 

"  Now  what  shall  we  find  ? "  said  Jim,  coming  to  a  halt, 
and  shading  his  eyes.  "  The  falling  sun  makes  it  difficult  to 
see,  but  everything  seems  quiet  over  there,  and  I  can  catch 
sight  of  none  of  the  enemy." 

"  An  ominous  sign,"  whispered  John  Margetson.  "  What 
if  these  fanatics  have  butchered  every  one  of  those  who 
accompanied  you  from  the  coast  ?  " 

"  Then  we  must  act  alone  and  for  ourselves,"  said  the 
colonel. 

"  There  will  be  no  need,  my  masters,"  came  a  voice  at 
their  elbows  at  this  moment.  "  Your  servant,  Ali  Kumar, 
is  used  to  these  desert  sunsets,  and  can  see  where  others  are 
blinded  by  the  glare.  A  flag  flies  from  the  summit  of  one  of 
those  trees,  and  men  are  coming  out  to  greet  us.  They  are 
friends.    Yes,  our  comrades  are  safe  and  well." 

"  Then  forward  to  meet  them,"  cried  Jim.  "  I  can  place 
full  reliance  on  what  Ali  says." 

Riding  on  again,  it  was  not  long  before  the  fugitives  met 
Tom  and  the  native  followers.  Shouts  and  cries  of  welcome 
greeted  them,  and  they  were  at  once  escorted  back  to  the 
zareba. 

"  And  now  tell  us  the  news,"  said  Jim  quickly.  "  We 
have  little  time  to  rest,  and  if  the  enemy  are  not  near  at  hand, 
we  shall  push  ahead  at  once." 

"  Then  you  have  nothing  to  fear,"  answered  Tom,  with 
assurance.  "  The  Mullah's  followers  have  left  us,  and  I  have 
just  been  able  to  ascertain  that  they  had  had  news  of  the 
approach  of  the  English  forces,  and  had  been  withdrawn  to 
repel  them.  Meanwhile,  I  am  glad  to  say  that  we  have  given 
an  excellent  account  of  ourselves.     Thanks  to  the  prepara- 

335 


In  the  Grip  of  the  Mullah 

tions  made,  when  the  enemy  advanced  we  heat  them  back 
with  ease.  Time  and  again  they  rushed  to  the  attack,  but 
the  barbed  wire  kept  them  at  a  distance,  and  our  rifles  mowed 
them  down.  How  many  we  accounted  for  I  cannot  say,  but 
large  numbers  were  killed.  In  fact,  they  soon  began  to  lose 
heart,  and  I  fancy  they  were  glad  when  the  order  suddenly 
reached  them  that  they  were  to  withdraw.  And  what  of 
you?" 

"  That  you  shall  hear  later,"  said  Jim.  "  The  order  now 
is  to  retire.  Strike  camp  at  once.  Load  the  beasts,  and 
prepare  to  march  in  an  hour  at  most." 

So  rapidly  were  the  orders  carried  out,  and  so  eagerly  did 
the  natives  fly  to  obey  them,  that  within  the  time  mentioned 
the  whole  of  the  expedition  was  marching  north,  en  route  to 
the  coast.  Camels  staggered  along  with  tanks  of  sweet  water 
upon  their  backs;  others  carried  fresh-cut  grass;  while  the 
remainder  were  laden  with  ammunition  and  food  for  the 
men.  Ten  days  later  all  arrived  at  Berbera,  where  they 
attracted  a  great  deal  of  attention.  Having  rewarded  the 
followers  with  gifts  of  camels,  and  having  taken  farewell  of 
Tom  and  of  Ali  Kumar,  Jim,  his  father,  and  John  Margetson 
took  ship  for  England,  where  they  arrived  in  due  time. 

"  Back,  and  alive !  "  gasped  Mr.  George  Hubbard,  when  the 
colonel  and  Jim  put  in  an  appearance  at  his  house.  "  It  is 
astounding!  I  had  expected  to  hear  nothing  more  of  you, 
and  your  arrival  lifts  a  weight  from  my  heart.  How  could  it 
be  otherwise  when  the  news  just  comes  to  hand  that  a  portion 
of  the  British  expedition  was  hemmed  in  a  few  days  ago  by 
the  Mullah,  and,  falling  short  of  ammunition,  suffered  very 
heavy  losses  ?  However,  though  this  reverse  has  put  a  stop  to 
the  campaign  for  a  moment,  it  is  certain  to  be  renewed 
again,  and  then  this  Mullah  will  be  crushed.     Indeed,  the 

336 


Back  to  the  Coast 

cables  have  told  us  that,  since  the  disaster  to  our  own  troops, 
the  Abyssinians  have  come  in  contact  with  this  host  of 
Somali  plunderers  and  have  inflicted  severe  losses  upon  them. 
But  sit  down  and  let  me  have  the  yarn.  Dear,  dear!  I 
declare  that  Jim  is  as  brown  as  a  berry,  and  looks  quite  a 
man." 

That  the  colonel  was  of  the  same  opinion  was  evident,  for 
very  few  days  had  passed  ere  he  paid  a  visit  to  those  in 
authority,  and  returned  with  smiling  face  and  a  big  blue 
official  envelope. 

"  Open  it,"  he  said,  handing  it  to  Jim.  "  It  is  your  com- 
mission in  my  old  regiment,  given  you  for  the  information 
which  you  were  able  to  gather  in  Somaliland.  In  two  months 
you  and  I  will  be  on  our  way  to  India,  there  to  join  our 
brother  officers." 

To  say  that  our  hero  was  delighted  is  to  express  the 
matter  mildly.  He  was  almost  more  excited  than  he  had 
been  when  planning  his  father's  rescue.  From  that  moment 
all  was  bustle,  for  his  uniform  and  many  other  things  had  to 
be  obtained.  In  due  time,  however,  the  two  set  sail  for  India, 
and  entered  the  Suez  Canal.  At  Aden  they  left  the  ship  for 
a  few  hours  to  find  Tom  and  have  a  chat  with  him.  As  for 
John  Margetson,  he  soon  settled  down  to  the  routine  of  life 
in  charge  of  a  ship.  Neither  he  nor  the  colonel,  however,  will 
ever  forget  those  days  when  they  were  in  the  grip  of  the 
Mullah. 


THE  END 


337 


:?""* 


•♦Wherever  English  is  spoken  one  imagines  that  Mr.  Henty's 
name  is  known.  One  cannot  enter  a  schoolroom  or  look  at  a 
boy's  bookshelf  without  seeing  half-a-dozen  of  his  familiar 
volumes.  Mr.  Henty  is  no  doubt  the  most  successful  writer 
for  boys,  and  the  one  to  whose  new  volumes  they  look  forward 
every  Christmas  with  most  pleasure." — Review  of  Reviews. 


A   LIST   OF   BOOKS 
FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE 


By 

G.  A,  HENTY, 

KIRK  MUNROE,  JAMES  WHITCOMB  RILEY, 
ERNEST  THOMPSON  SETON,  and  Others 


Published  by 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

J53  to  J57  Fifth  Avenue 
New  York 


A    LIST    OF    BOOKS 

FOR 

YOUNG     PEOPLE 

By    G.    A.    HENTY 


BY  CONDUCT  AND   COURAGE 

A  Story  of  Nelson's  Days.     Illustrated.     $1.20  net  (postage,  16c). 

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and  Nelson.  The  hero  is  brought  up  in  a  Yorkshire  fishing  village,  and 
enters  the  navy  as  a  ship's  boy. 

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A  Story  of  Chitral,  Tirah,  and  Ashanti.    Illustrated  by  Wal  Paget. 
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on  the  eve  of  the  Chitral  campaign.  The  boy's  patriotism  compels  him, 
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BOOKS  FOR  TO  UNO  PEOPLE 


By  G.  A.  HENTY 

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fa  the  very  first  rank." — Academy  (London). 


THE   TREASURE    OF   THE   INCAS 

A  Tale  of  Adventure  in  Peru.     With  8  full-page  Illustrations 
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skillfully  than  in  this  extremely  interesting  story.  It  is  not  in  boy  nat- 
ure to  lay  it  aside  unfinished,  once  begun ;  and  finished,  the  reader  finds 
himself  in  possession,  not  only  of  the  facts  and  the  true  atmosphere  of 
Kitchener's  famous  Soudan  campaign,  but  of  the  Gordon  tragedy  which 
preceded  it  by  so  many  years  and  of  which  it  was  the  outcome. 

WITH  THE  BRITISH  LEGION 

A  Story  of  the  Carlist  Uprising  of  1836.  IUustrated.  $1.20 
net. 
Arthur  Hallet,  a  young  English  boy,  finds  himself  in  difficulty  at 
home,  through  certain  harmless  school  escapades,  and  enlists  in  the 
famous  "  British  Legion,"  which  was  then  embarking  for  Spain  to  take 
part  in  the  campaign  to  repress  the  Carlist  uprising  of  1836.  Arthur 
ehows  his  mettle  in  the  first  fight,  distinguishes  himself  by  daring  work 
in  carrying  an  important  dispatch  to  Madrid,  makes  a  dashing  and 
thrilling  rescue  of  the  sister  of  his  patron,  and  is  rapidly  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  captain.  In  following  the  adventures  of  the  hero  the  reader  ob- 
tains, as  is  usual  with  Mr.  Henty's  stories,  a  most  accurate  and  interest- 
ing history  of  a  picturesque  campaign. 


BOOKS  FOR    TO  UNO    PEOPLE 


STORIES    BY    Q.    A.    HENTY 

"  His  books  have  at  once  the  solidity  of  history  and  the  charm  of 
romance. "-Journal  of  Education. 


TO  HERAT  AND   CABUL 

A  Story  of  the  First  Afghan   War.     By  G.  A.  Henty.     With 

Illustrations.      12mo,  $1.20  net. 

The  greatest  defeat  ever  experienced  by  the  British  Army  was  that 
in  the  Mountain  Passes  of  Afghanistan.  Angus  Cameron,  the  hero  of 
this  book,  having  been  captured  by  the  friendly  Afghans,  was  com- 
pelled to  be  a  witness  of  the  calamity.  His  whole  story  is  an  intensely 
interesting  one,  from  his  boyhood  in  Persia;  his  employment  underthe 
Government  at  Herat;  through  the  defense  of  that  town  against  the 
Persians;  to  Cabul,  where  he  shared  in  all  the  events  which  ended  in 
the  awful  march  through  the  Passes  from  which  but  one  man  escaped. 
Angus  is  always  at  the  point  of  danger,  and  whether  in  battle  or  in 
hazardous  expeditions  shows  how  much  a  brave  youth,  full  of 
resources,  can  do,  even  with  so  treacherous  a  foe.  His  dangers  aad 
adventures  are  thrilling,  and  his  escapes  marvellous. 

WITH  ROBERTS  TO  PRETORIA 

A  Tale  of  the  South  African  War.     By  G.  A  Henty.     With  12 
Illustrations.    $1.20  net. 

The  Boer  War  gives  Mr.  Henty  an  unexcelled  opportunity  for  a 
thrilling  story  of  present-day  interest  which  the  author  could  not  fail  to 
take  advantage  of.  Every  boy  reader  will  find  this  account  of  the  ad- 
ventures of  the  young  hero  most  exciting,  and,  at  the  game  time  a 
wonderfully  accurate  description  of  Lord  Roberts's  campaign  to  Preto- 
ria. Boys  have  found  history  in  the  dress  Mr.  Henty  gives  it  anything 
but  dull,  and  the  present  book  is  no  exception  to  the  rule. 

AT  THE  POINT  OF  THE  BAYONET 

A  Tale  of  the  Mahratta  War.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    Illustrated. 
12mo,  $1.20  net. 

One  hundred  years  ago  the  rule  of  the  British  in  India  was  only  partly 
established.  The  powerful  Mahrattas  were  unsubdued,  and  with  their 
skill  in  intrigue,  and  great  military  power,  they  were  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous. The  6tory  of  "At  the  Point  of  the  Bayonet"  begins  with 
the  attempt  to  conquer  this  powerful  people.  Harry  Lindsay,  an 
infant  when  his  father  and  mother  were  killed,  was  6aved  by  his 
Mahratta  ayah,  who  carried  him  to  her  own  people  and  brought  him 
up  as  a  native.  She  taught  him  as  best  she  could,  and,  having  told  him 
his  parentage,  sent  him  to  Bombav  to  be  educated.  At  sixteen  he  ob- 
tained a  commission  in  the  English  Army,  and  his  knowledge  of  the 
Mahratta  tongue  combined  with  his  ability  and  bravery  enabled  him  to 
render  great  service  in  the  Mahratta  War,  and  carried  him,  through 
many  frightful  perils  by  land  and  sea,  to  high  rank. 


BOOKS  FOR    TO  UNO   PEOPLE 


BY  Q.  A.  HENTY 

"Mr.   Henty  might  'with  entire  propriety  be  called  the  boys' Sir 
Walter  Scott." — Philadelphia  Press. 


IN  THE   IRISH   BRIGADE 

A  Tale  of  War  in  Flanders  and  Spain.    With  12  Illustrations  by 
Charles  M.  Sheldon.    12mo,  $1.50. 

Desmond  Kennedy  is  a  young  Irish  lad  who  left  Ireland  to  join  the 
Irish  Brigade  in  the  service  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France.  In  Paris  he  in- 
curred the  deadly  hatred  of  a  powerful  courtier  from  whom  he  had 
rescued  a  young  girl  who  had  been  kidnapped,  and  his  peril*  are  of  ab- 
sorbing interest.  Captured  in  an  attempted  Jacobite  invasion  of  Scot- 
land, he  escaped  in  a  most  extraordinary  manner.  As  aid-de-camp 
to  the  Duke  of  Berwick  he  experienced  thrilling  adventures  in  Flan- 
ders. Transferred  to  the  Army  in  Spain,  he  was  nearly  assassinated.but 
escaped  to  return,  when  peace  was  declared,  to  his  native  land,  having 
received  pardon  and  having  recovered  his  estates.  The  6tory  is  filled 
with  adventure,  and  the  interest  never  abates. 

OUT   WITH   GARIBALDI 

A   Story  of  the  Liberation  of  Italy.     By  G.  A.  Henty.    With 
8  Illustrations  by  W.  Ratney,  R.I.     12mo,  $1.50. 

Garibaldi  himself  is  the  central  figure  of  this  brilliant  6tory,  and  the 
little-known  history  of  the  struggle  for  Italian  freedom  is  told  here  in 
the  most  thrilling  way.  From  the  time  the  hero,  a  young  lad,  6on  of 
an  English  father  and  an  Italian  mother,  joins  Garibaldi's  band  of 
1,000  men  in  the  first  descent  upon  Sicily,  which  was  garrisoned  by  one 
of  the  large  Neapolitan  armies,  until  the  end,  when  all  those  armies 
are  beaten,  and  the  two  Sicilys  are  conquered,  we  follow  with  the 
keenest  interest  the  exciting  adventures  of  the  lad  in  scouting,  in 
battle,  and  in  freeing  those  in  prison  for  liberty's  sake. 

WITH    BULLER   IN  NATAL 

Or,   A  Born  Leader.     By  G.  A.  Henty.     With  10  Illustrations 
by  W.  Rainey.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  Boer  War  compelled  Chris  King,  the  hero 
of  the  story,  to  flee  with  his  mother  from  Johannesburg  to  the  6ea 
coast.  They  were  with  many  other  Uitlanders,  and  all  suffered  much 
from  the  Boers.  Reaching  a  place  of  safety  lor  their  families,  Chris 
and  twenty  of  his  friends  formed  an  independent  company  of  scouts.  In 
this  service  they  were  with  Gen.  Yule  at  Glencoe,  then  in  Ladysmith, 
then  with  Buller.  In  each  place  they  had  many  thrilling  adventures. 
They  were  in  great  battles  and  in  lonely  fights  on  the  Veldt;  were 
taken  prisoners  and  escaped;  and  they  rendered  mo6t  valuable  service 
to  the  English  forces.  The  story  is  a  most  interesting  picture  of  the 
War  in  South  Africa. 


BOOKS  FOR    TO  UNO   PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"  Surely  Mr.  Henty  should  understand  boys'  tastes  better  than  any 
man  liviDg." — The  Times. 


WON   BY   THE   SWORD 

A  Tale  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War.    With  12  Illustrations  by 
Charles  M.  Sheldon,  and  four  Plans.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  scene  of  this  story  is  laid  in  France,  during  the  time  of  Richelieu, 
of  Mazarin  and  Anne  of  Austria.  The  hero.  Hector  Campbell,  is  the 
orphaned  son  of  a  Scotch  officer  in  the  French  Army.  How  he  at- 
tracted the  notice  of  Marshal  Turenne  and  of  the  Prince  of  Conde ; 
how  he  rose  to  the  rank  of  Colonel ;  how  he  finally  had  to  leave  France, 
pursued  by  the  deadly  hatred  of  the  Due  de  Beaufort — all  these  and 
much  more  the  story  tells  with  the  most  absorbing  Interest. 

A  ROVING   COMMISSION 

Or,  Through  the  Black  Insurrection  at  Hayti.     With  12  Illus- 
trations by  William  Rainey.     12mo,  $1.50. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  brilliant  of  Mr.  Henty's  books.  A  story  of 
the  sea,  with  all  its  life  and  action,  it  is  also  full  of  thrilling  adven- 
tures on  land.  So  it  holds  the  keenest  interest  until  the  end.  The 
scene  is  a  new  one  to  Mr.  Henty's  readers,  being  laid  at  the  time  of  the 
Great  Revolt  of  the  Blacks,  by  which  Hayti  became  independent. 
Toussaint  l'Overture  appears,  and  an  admirable  picture  is  given  of  him 
and  of  his  power. 

NO   SURRENDER 

The   Story  of  the  Revolt  in  La  Vendee.     With  8  Illustrations 
by  Stanley  L.  Wood.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  revolt  of  La  Vendue  against  the  French  Republic  at  the  time  of 
the  Revolution  forms  the  groundwork  of  this  absorbing  story.  Leigh 
Stan6field,  a  young  English  lad,  is  drawn  into  the  thickest  of  the  con- 
flict. Forming  a  company  of  boys  as  scouts  for  the  Vendean  Army, 
he  greatly  aids  the  peasants.  He  rescues  his  sister  from  the  guillotine, 
and  finally,  after  many  thrilling  experiences,  when  the  cause  of  La 
Vendue  is  lost,  he  escapes  to  England. 

UNDER  WELLINGTON'S  COMMAND 

A  Tale  of  the  Peninsular  War.     With  12  Illustrations  by  Wai. 

Paget.    12mo,  $1.50. 

The  dashing  hero  of  this  book,  Terence  O'Connor,  was  the  hero  of 
Mr.  Henty's  previous  book,  "  With  Moore  at  Corunna,"  to  which  this 
is  really  a  6equel.  He  is  still  at  the  head  of  the  "  Minho  "  Portuguese 
regiment.  Being  detached  on  independent  and  guerilla  duty  with  his 
regiment,  he  renders  invaluable  service  in  gaining  information  and  in 
harassing  the  French.  His  command,  being  constantly  on  the  edge  of 
the  army,  is  engaged  in  frequent  skirmishes  and  some  most  important 
battles. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  Q.  A.  HENTY 

"  Mr.  Henty  is  the  king  of  story-tellers  for  boys." — Sword  and  Trowel. 


AT  ABOUKIR  AND  ACRE 

A  Story  of  Napoleon's  Invasion  of  Egypt.  With  8  full-page 
Illustrations  by  William  Rainey,  and  3  Plans.  12mo, 
$1.50. 

The  hero,  having  saved  the  life  of  the  son  of  an  Arab  chief,  is  taken 
Into  the  tribe,  has  a  part  In  the  battle  of  the  Pyramids  and  the  revolt 
at  Cairo.  He  is  an  eye-witness  of  the  famous  naval  battle  of  Aboukir, 
and  later  is  in  the  hardest  of  the  defense  of  Acre. 

BOTH  SIDES  THE  BORDER 

A  Tale  of  Hotspur  and  Glendower.  With  12  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  Ralph  Peacock.    12mo,  $1.50. 

This  is  a  brilliant  story  of  the  stirring  times  of  the  beginning  of  the 
War6  of  the  Roses,  when  the  Scotch,  under  Douglas,  and  the  Welsh, 
under  Owen  Glendower,  were  attacking  the  English.  The  hero  of  the 
book  lived  near  the  Scotch  border,  and  saw  many  a  hard  fight  there. 
Entering  the  service  of  Lord  Percy,  he  was  sent  to  Wales,  where  he 
wa6  knighted,  and  where  he  was  captured.  Being  released,  he  returned 
home,  and  shared  in  the  fatal  battle  of  Shrewsbury. 


WITH  FREDERICK  THE  GREAT 

A  Tale  of  the  Seven  Years'  War.     With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions.    12mo,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  while  still  a  youth  entered  the  service  of 
Frederick  the  Great,  and  by  a  succession  of  fortunate  circumstances 
and  perilous  adventures,  rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  Attached  to  the 
Btaff  of  the  king,  he  rendered  distinguished  services  in  many  battles,  in 
one  of  which  he  saved  the  king's  life.  Twice  captured  and  imprisoned, 
he  both  times  escaped  from  the  Austrian  fortresses. 

A  MARCH  ON  LONDON 

A  Story  of  Wat  Tyler's  Rising.     With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  W.  H.  Margetson.     12mo,  $1.50. 

The  story  of  Wat  Tyler's  Rebellion  is  but  little  known,  but  the  hero 
of  this  story  passes  through  that  perilous  time  and  takes  part  in  the 
civil  war  in  Flanders  which  followed  soon  after.  Although  young  he 
is  thrown  into  many  exciting  and  dangerous  adventures,  through  which 
be  paeees  with  great  coolness  and  much  credit. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  Q.  A.  HENTY 

"No  country  nor  epoch  of  history  is  there  which  Mr.  Hentydoes  not 
know,  and  what  is  really  remarkable  is  that  he  always  writes  well  and 
interestingly." — New  York  Times. 


WITH  MOORE  AT  CORUNNA 

A  Story  of  the  Peninsular  War.  "With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  Wal  Paget.    13too,  $1.50. 

Terence  O'Connor  is  living  with  his  widowed  father,  Captain  O'Con- 
nor of  the  Mayo  Fusiliers,  with  the  regiment  at  the  time  when  the 
Peninsular  war  began.  Upon  the  regiment  being  ordered  to  Spain, 
Terence  gets  appointed  as  aid  to  one  of  the  generals  of  a  division.  By 
his  bravery  and  great  usefulness  throughout  the  war,  he  is  rewarded 
by  a  commission  as  colonel  in  the  Portuguese  army  and  there  rendered 
great  service. 

AT  AGINCOURT 

A  Tale  of  the  White  Hoods  of  Paris.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  Walter  Paoet.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

The  story  begins  In  a  grim  feudal  castle  in  Normandie.  The  times 
■were  troublous,  and  soon  the  king  compelled  Lady  Margaret  de  Villeroy 
with  her  children  to  go  to  Paris  as  hostages.  Guy  Aylmer  went  with 
her.  Paris  was  turbulent.  Soon  the  guild  of  the  butchers,  adopting 
white  hoods  as  their  uniform,  seized  the  city,  and  besieged  the  house 
where  our  hero  and  his  charges  lived.  After  desperate  fighting,  the 
white  hoods  were  beaten  and  our  hero  and  his  charges  escaped  from 
the  city,  and  from  France. 

WITH  COCHRANE  THE  DAUNTLESS 

A  Tale  of  the  Exploits  of  Lord  Cochrane  in  South  American 
Waters.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  H. 
Margetson.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  accompanies  Cochrane  as  midshipman,  and 
serves  in  the  war  between  Chili  and  Peru.  He  has  many  exciting 
adventures  in  battles  by  6ea  and  land,  is  taken  prisoner  and  condemned 
to  death  by  the  Inquisition,  but  escapes  by  a  long  and  thrilling  flight 
across  South  America  and  down  the  Amazon. 

ON  THE  IRRAWADDY 

A  Story  of  the  First  Burmese  War.  With  8  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  W.  H.  Overend.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
11.50. 

The  hero,  having  an  uncle,  a  trader  on  the  Indian  and  Burmese 
livers,  goes  out  to  join  him.  Soon  after,  war  is  declared  by  Burmah 
against  England  and  he  is  drawn  into  it.  He  has  many  experiences 
and  narrow  escapes  in  battles  and  in  scouting.  With  half-a-dozen 
men  he  rescues  his  cousin  who  had  been  taken  prisoner,  and  in  the 
flight  they  are  beeieged  in  an  old,  ruined  temple. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"  Boys  like  stirring  adventures,  and  Mr.  Henty  is  a  master  of  this 
method  of  composition." — New  York  Times. 


THROUGH   RUSSIAN  SNOWS 

A  Story  of  Napoleon's  Retreat  from  Moscow.  With  8  fuH- 
page  Illustrations  by  W.  H.  Overend  and  8  Maps.  Crowu 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Julian  Wyatt,  after  several  adventures  with  smugglers,  by 
whom  he  is  handed  over  a  prisoner  to  the  French,  regains  his  ireedom 
and  joins  Napoleon's  army  in  the  Russian  campaign.  When  the  terrible 
retreat  begins,  Julian  finds  himself  in  the  rearguard  of  the  French  army, 
fighting  desperately.  Ultimately  he  escapes  out  of  the  general  disaster, 
and  returns  to  England. 

A  KNIGHT   OF    THE  WHITE  CROSS 

A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Rhodes.  With  12  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  Ralph  Peacock,  and  a  Plan.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

Gervaise  Tresham,  the  hero  of  this  story,  joins  the  Order  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  John,  and  proceeds  to  the  stronghold  of  Rhodes.  Sub- 
sequently he  is  appointed  commander  of  a  war-galley,  and  in  his  first 
voyage  destroys  a  fleet  of  Moorish  corsairs.  During  one  of  his  cruises 
the  young  knight  is  attacked  on  6hore,  captured  after  a  desperate 
struggle,  and  sold  into  slavery  in  Tripoli.  He  succeeds  in  escaping,  and 
returns  to  Rhodes  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  defense  of  that  fortress. 

THE   TIGER  OF   MYSORE 

A  Story  of  the  War  with  Tippoo  Saib.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  W.  H.  Margetson,  and  a  Map.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Dick  Holland,  whose  father  is  supposed  to  be  a  captive  of  Tippoo 
Saib,  goes  to  India  to  help  him  to  escape.  He  joins  the  army  under 
Lord  Cornwallis,  and  takes  part  in  the  campaign  againt  Tippoo. 
Afterwards  he  assumes  a  disguise,  enters  Seringapatam,  and  at  last 
he  discovers  his  father  in  the  great  stronghold  of  Savandroog.  The 
hazardous  rescue  is  at  length  accomplished,  and  the  young  fellow's 
dangerous  mission  is  done. 

IN  THE  HEART  OF  THE  ROCKIES 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  Colorado.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  G.  C.  Hindley.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Tom  Wade,  goes  to  seek  his  uncle  in  Colorado,  who  Is  a 
hunter  and  gold-digger,  and  he  is  discovered,  after  many  dangers,  out 
on  the  Plains  with  some  comrades.  Going  in  quest  of  a  gold  mine,  the 
little  band  is  spied  by  Indians,  chased  across  the  Bad  Lands,  and 
overwhelmed  by  a  snowstorm  in  the  mountains. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"Mr.  Henty  is  one  of  the  best  story-tellers  for  young  people." 

— Spectator. 


WHEN  LONDON  BURNED 

A  Story  of  the  Plague  and  the  Fire.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  Finnemore.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  ef  this  story  was  the  son  of  a  nobleman  who  had  lost  his 
estates  during  the  troublous  times  of  the  Commonwealth.  During  the 
Great  Plague  and  the  Great  Fire,  Cyril  was  prominent  among  those 
who  brought  help  to  the  panic-stricken  inhabitants. 

WULF  THE  SAXON 

A  Story  of  the  Norman  Conquest.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  Ralph  Peacock.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  is  a  young  thane  who  wins  the  favor  of  Earl  Harold  and 
becomes  one  of  his  retinue.  When  Harold  becomes  King  of  England 
Wulf  assists  iu  the  Welsh  wars,  and  takes  part  against  the  Norsemen 
at  the  Battle  of  Stamford  Bridge.  When  William  of  Normandy  in- 
vades England,  Wulf  is  with  the  English  host  at  Hastings,  and  stands 
by  his  king  to  the  last  in  the  mighty  struggle. 

ST.  BARTHOLOMEW'S  EVE 

A  Tale  of  the  Huguenot  Wars.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  H.  J.  Draper,  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero,  Philip  Fletcher,  has  a  French  connection  on  his  mother's 
side.  This  induces  him  to  cross  the  Channel  in  order  to  take  a  share 
in  the  Huguenot  wars.  Naturally  he  6ides  with  the  Protestants,  dis- 
tinguishes himself  in  various  battles,  and  receives  rapid  promotion  for 
the  zeal  and  daring  with  which  he  carries  out  several  secret  missions. 

THROUGH  THE  SIKH  WAR 

A  Tale  of  the  Conquest  of  the  Punjaub.  By  G.  A.  Henty. 
With  12  full-page  illustrations  by  Hal  Hurst,  and  a 
Map.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Percy  Groves,  a  spirited  English  lad,  joins  his  uncle  in  the  Punjaub, 
where  the  natives  are  in  a  state  of  revolt.  Percy  joins  the  British 
force  as  a  volunteer,  and  takes  a  distinguished  share  in  the  famoua 
battles  of  the  Punjaub. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  G. A.  HENTY 

"  The  brightest  of  the  living  writers  whose  office  it  is  to  enchant  the 
boys. — Christian  Leader. 


A  JACOBITE  EXILE 

Being  the  Adventures  of  a  Young  Englishman  in  the  Service 
of  Charles  XII.  of  Sweden.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  8 
full-page  Illustrations  by  Paul  Hardy,  and  a  Map.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Sir  Marmaduke  Carstairs,  a  Jacobite,  is  the'victim  of  a  conspiracy,  and 
he  is  denounced  as  a  plotter  against  the  life  of  King  William.  He  flies 
to  Sweden,  accompanied  by  his  sen  Charlie.  This  youth  joins  the 
foreign  legion  under  Charles  XII.,  and  takes  a  distinguished  part  In 
several  famous  campaigns  against  the  Russians  and  Poles. 

CONDEMNED  AS  A  NIHILIST  ' 

A  Story  of  Escape  from  Siberia.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  8 
full-page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  is  an  English  boy  resident  in  St.  Petersburg. 
Through  two  student  friends  he  becomes  innocently  involved  in 
various  political  plots,  resulting  in  his  seizure  by  the  Russian  police 
and  his  exile  to  Siberia.  He  ultimately  escapes,  and,  after  many  ex- 
citing adventures,  he  reaches  Norway,  and  thence  home,  after  a 
perilous  journey  which  lasts  nearly  two  years. 

BERIC  THE  BRITON 

A  Story  of  the  Roman  Invasion.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  Parkinson.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  deals  with  the  invasion  of  Britain  by  the  Roman  legionaries. 
Beric,  who  is  a  boy-chief  of  a  British  tribe,  takes  a  prominent  part  in 
the  insurrection  under  Boadicea :  and  after  the  defeat  of  that  heroic 
queen  (in  A.  D.  62)  he  continues  the  struggle  in  the  fen-country. 
Ultimately  Beric  is  defeated  and  carried  captive  to  Rome,  where  he  is 
trained  in  the  exercise  of  arms  in  a  school  of  gladiators.  At  length  he 
returua  to  Britain,  where  he  becomes  ruler  of  his  own  people. 

IN  GREEK  WATERS 

A  Story  of  the  Grecian  War  of  Independence  (1821-1827).  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  S. 
Stacey,  and  a  Map.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Deals  with  the  revolt  of  the  Greeks  in  1821  against  Turkish  oppres- 
sion. Mr.  Beveridge  and  his  son  Horace  fit  out  a  privateer,  load  it 
with  military  stores,  and  set  sail  for  Greece.  They  rescue  the  Chris- 
tians, relieve  the  captive  Greeks,  and  fight  the  Turkish  war  vessels. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


BY  G.  A.  HENTY 

"No living  writer  of  books  for  boys  writes  to  better  purpose  than 
Mr.  G.  A.  Henty." — Philadelphia  Press. 


THE  DASH  FOR  KHARTOUM 

A  Tale  of  the  Nile  Expedition.     By  G.  A.  Henty.     With  10 

full-page  Illustrations  by  John  Schonberq  and  J.  Nash. 

Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

In  the  record  of  recent  British  history  there  is  no  more  captivating 
page  for  boys  than  the  story  of  the  Nile  campaign,  and  the  attempt  to 
rescue  General  Gordon.  For,  in  the  difficulties  which  the  expedition 
encountered,  in  the  perils  which  it  overpassed,  and  in  its  final  tragic 
disappointments,  are  found  all  the  excitements  of  romance,  as  well  as 
the  fascination  which  belongs  to  real  events. 

REDSKIN  AND  COW-BOY 

A  Tale  of  the  Western  Plains.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12 
full-page  Illustrations  by  Alfred  Pearse.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  central  interest  of  this  story  is  found  in  the  many  adventures  of 
an  English  lad,  who  6eeks  employment  as  a  cow-boy  on  a  cattle  ranch. 
His  experiences  during  a  "  round  up  "  present  in  picturesque  form  the 
toilsome,  exciting,  adventurous  life  of  a  cow-boy  ;  while  the  perils  of  a 
frontier  settlement  are  vividly  set  forth  in  an  Indian  raid. 

HELD  FAST  FOR  ENGLAND 

A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Gibraltar.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  deals  with  one  of  the  most  memorable  sieges  in  history— 
the  siege  of  Gibraltar  in  1779-83  by  the  united  forces  of  France  and 
Spain.  With  land  forces,  fleets,  and  floating  batteries,  the  combined 
resources  of  two  great  nations,  this  grim  fortress  was  vainly  besieged 
and  bombarded.  The  hero  of  the  tale,  an  English  lad  resident  in 
Gibraltar,  takes  a  brave  and  worthy  part  in  the  long  defence,  and  it  is 
through  his  varied  experiences  that  we  learn  with  what  bravery,  re- 
source, and  tenacity  the  Rock  was  held  for  England. 


Note.— For  a  list  of  Henty  Books  at  popular  prices,  see  the 
following  page. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


BY    G.  A.   HENTY 


The  following  copyrighted  Henty  Ttsoo%s 
are  also  issued  in  a  cheap  edition 


*  *  * 


The  Daah  for  Khartoum . 

Redskin  and  Cowboy. 

Held  Fast  for  England. 

Bericthe  Briton. 

In  Greek  Waters. 

Condemned  as  a  Nihil- 
ist. 

A  Jacobite  Exile. 

St.  Bartholomew's  Eve. 

Through  the  Sikh  War. 

In  the  Heart  of  the 
Rockies. 

Wulf  the  Saxon. 

In  Freedom's  Cause. 

■With  Lee  in  Virginia. 

With  Wolfe  in  Canada. 

The  Lion  of  St.  Mark. 

In  the  Reign  of  Terror. 

At  Aboukir  and  Acre. 

A  Roving  Commission. 

Won  by  the  Sword. 

At  the  Point  of  the 
Bayonet. 

With  Buller  in  Natal. 

By  England's  Aid;  or, 
The  Freeing  of  the 
Netherlands  (1585- 
1604). 

By  Pike  and  Dyke. 

One  of  the  38th.  A  Story 
of  Waterloo. 

By  Conduct  and 
Courage. 

Through  Three 
Campaigns. 


When  London  Burned. 

A  Knight  of  the  White 
Cross. 

The  Tiger  of  Mysore. 

Through  Russian 
Snows. 

Cochrane  the  Daunt- 
less. 

At  Agincourt. 

On  the  Irrawaddy. 

With  Moore  at  Cor- 
unna. 

A  March  on  London. 

No  Surrender. 

Under  Wellington's 
Command. 

With  Frederick  the 
Great. 

Both  Sides  the  Border. 

Out  with  Garibaldi. 

In  the  Irish  Brigade. 

To  Herat  and  Cabul. 

Under  Drake's  Flag. 

With  Clive  in  India. 

With  Kitchener  in  the 
Soudan. 

With  Roberts  to  Pre- 
toria. 

With  the  British 
Legion. 

With  the  Allies  to 
Pekin. 

The  Treasure  of  the 
Incas. 


#    *    # 


These  bool^s  are  fully  described  in  the 
pages  preceding  this. 


A  LIST  OF  NEW  BOOKS 

FOR. 

YOUNG    PEOPLE 


CHARLES   SCRIBNER/S   SONS 
NEW    YORK 

$    *    " 

THE   BOOK  OF  JOYOUS  CHILDREN 

BY  JAMES  WHITCOMB  RILEY 

Profusely  Illustrated. 

The  sweetness,  the  grace,  the  laughter  and  the  tenderness  of  Mr. 
Riley's  best  verse  are  found  to  the  full  in  this  book  of  delightful  poems 
for  and  about  children.  The  illustrations  have  been  made  under  the 
author's  supervision,  and  portray  the  scenes  and  the  little  heroes  and 
heroines  of  the  poems  with  artistic  fidelity. 

IN  THE  WASP'S  NEST 

The  Story  of  a  Sea  "Waif.    By  Cyrus  Townsend  Brady.    Illus- 
trated.   $1.50  net.     (Postage,  16  cents.) 

A  vigorous  story  of  the  War  of  1812.  The  hero,  a  midshipman, 
serves  gallantly  aboard  two  famous  American  6hips,  each  bearing  the 
name  of  Wasp,  having  many  adventures  of  storm,  battle  and  capture. 
The  hero  was  picked  up  in  an  open  boat  when  a  baby  by  the  crew  of  the 
U.  8.  S.  Boston  and  adopted  by  the  Captain.  The  story  has  the  real 
spirit  of  the  American  Navy. 

A  CAPTURED  SANTA  CLAUS 

BY  THOMAS  NELSON  PAGE 

Illustrated  in  Colors. 

This  exquisite  story  of  childhood  is  one  of  the  most  delicate  that 
even  Mr.  Page  has  written.  It  is  an  episode  of  the  Civil  War  in  which 
children  are  the  little  heroes.  The  period  is  the  Christmas  time,  and 
the  scene  is  between  the  lines  of  the  Union  and  Confederate  Armies. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNO   PEOPLE 


JEB  HUTTON,  A  GEORGIA  BOY 

By  James  B.  Connolly.  Illustrated.  $1.20  net.  (Postage, 
13  cents.) 

A  thoroughly  interesting  and  breezy  tale  of  boy-life  along  the 
Savannah  River  by  a  writer  who  knows  boys,  and  who  has  succeeded 
in  making  of  the  adventures  of  Jeb  and  his  friends  a  story  that  will 
keep  his  young  readers  absorbed  to  the  last  page. 

KING  MOMBO 

By  Paul  Du  Chaillu.  Author  of  '« The  World  of  the  Great 
Forest,"  etc.  With  24  illustrations.  $1.50  net.  (Postage, 
16  cents.) 

The  scene  is  the  great  African  forest.  It  is  a  book  of  Interesting 
experiences  with  native  tribes,  and  thrilling  and  perilous  adventures  in 
hunting  elephants,  crocodiles,  gorillas  and  other  fierce  creatures 
among  which  this  famous  explorer  lived  so  long. 


A  NEW  BOOK  FOR  GIRLS 

By  Lina  Beard  and  Adelia  B.  Beard.    Authors  of  "The 
American  Girl's  Handy    Book."    Profusely  Illustrated. 

An  admirable  collection  of  entirely  new  and  original  indoor  and  out- 
door pastimes  for  American  girls,  each  fully  and  interestingly  de- 
scribed and  explained,  and  all  designed  to  stimulate  the  taste  and 
ingenuity  at  the  same  time  that  they  entertain. 

SEA   FIGHTERS    FROM   DRAKE  TO 
FARRAGUT 

By  Jessie  Peabody  Frothingham.    Illustrations  by  Reuter- 
dahl.    $1.20  net.     (Postage,  14  cents.) 

Drake,  Tromp,  De  Reuter,  Tourville,  Suffren,  Paul  Jones,  Nelson 
and  Farragut  are  the  naval  heroes  here  pictured,  and  each  is  shown  in 
some  great  episode  which  illustrates  his  personality  and  heroism.  The 
book  is  full  of  the  very  spirit  of  daring  and  adventurous  achievement. 

BOB  AND  HIS  GUN 

By  William  Alexander  Linn.    With  8  Illustrations. 

The  adventures  of  a  boy  with  a  gun  under  the  instruction  of  his 
cousin,  an  accomplished  sportsman.  The  book's  aim  is  to  interest 
boys  in  hunting  in  the  spirit  of  true  sport  and  to  instruct  in  the  ways 
of  game  birds  and  animals. 


A  List  of  Books     * 
JK      for  Young  People 

•        •        •         O    I  m         a         • 

KIRK     MUNROE 


A    SON    OF    SATSUMA 
Or,  With  Perry  in  Japan 

BY  KIRK  MUNROE 

With  twelve  Illustrations  by  Harry  C.  Edwards.    $1.00  net. 

THIS  absorbing  story  for  boys  deals  with  one  of  the  most  in. 
teresting  episodes  in  our  National  history.  From  the 
beginning  Japan  has  been  a  land  of  mystery.  Foreigners  were 
permitted  to  land  only  at  certain  points  on  her  shores  and  nothing 
whatever  was  known  of  her  civilization  and  history,  her  romance 
and  magnificence,  her  wealth  and  art.  It  was  Commodore  Perry 
who  opened  her  gates  to  the  world,  thus  solving  the  mystery  of 
the  ages,  and,  in  this  thrilling  story  of  an  American  boy  in 
Japan  at  that  period,  the  spirit  as  well  as  the  history  of  this  great 
achievement  is  ably  set  forth. 

MIDSHIPMAN  STUART 

Or,  the  Last  Cruise  of  the  Essex.  A  Tale  of  the  "War  of  1812. 
Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.25. 

This  is  an  absorbing  story  of  life  in  the  American  Navy  during 
the  stirring  times  of  our  war  of  1812.  The  very  spirit  of  the 
period  is  in  its  pages,  and  many  of  the  adventures  of  the  Essex 
are  studied  from  history. 

IN  PIRATE  WATERS 

A  Tale  of  the  American  Navy.     Illustrated    by    I.  W.  Tabeb. 
12mo,  $1.25. 

The  hero  of  the  story  becomes  a  midshipman  in  the  navy  just  at  the 
time  of  the  war  with  Tripoli.  His  own  wild  adventures  among  the 
Turks  and  his  love  romance  are  thoroughly  interwoven  with  the  stir- 
ring history  of  that  time. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  KIRK  MUNROE 
THE  "WHITE  CONQUERORS"  SERIES 

WITH    CROCKETT  AND   BOWIE 

Or,  Fighting  for  the  Lone  Star  Flag.  A  Tale  of  Texas.  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Victor  Perard.  Crown  8vo, 
$1.25. 

The  6tory  is  of  the  Texas  revolution  in  1835,  when  American  Texans 
under  Sam  Houston,  Bowie,  Crockett  and  Travis,  fought  for  relief 
from  the  intolerable  tyranny  of  the  Mexican  Santa  Ana.  The  hero, 
Rex  Hardin,  son  of  a  Texan  ranchman  and  graduate  of  an  American 
military  6chool,  takes  a  prominent  part  in  the  heroie  defense  of  the 
Alamo,  and  the  final  triumph  at  San  Jacinto. 

THROUGH    SWAMP    AND   GLADE 

A  Tale  of  the  Seminole  "War.  By  Kirk  Mottroe.  With  8  fuM- 
page  Illustrations  by  V.  Perard.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

Coacoochee,  the  hero  of  the  story,  is  the  son  of  Philip  the  chieftain 
of  the  Seminoles.  He  grows  up  to  lead  his  tribe  in  the  long  struggle 
which  resulted  in  the  Indians  being  driven  from  the  north  of  Florida 
down  to  the  distant  southern  wilderness. 

AT  WAR  WITH   PONTIAC 

Or,  the  Totem  of  the  Bear.  A  Tale  of  Redcoat  and  Redskin. 
By  Kirk  Munroe.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  J. 
Finnemore.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

A  story  when  the  6hores  of  Lake  Erie  were  held  by  hostile  Indians. 
The  hero,  Donald  Hester,  goes  in  search  of  his  sister  Edith,  who  has 
been  captured  by  the  Indians.  Strange  and  terrible  are  his  experi- 
ences ;  for  he  is  wounded,  taken  prisoner,  condemned  to  be  burned,  but 
contrives  to  escape.    In  the  end  all  things  terminate  happily. 

THE  WHITE  CONQUERORS 

A  Tale  of  Toltec  and  Aztec.  By  Kirk  Munrob.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

This  story  deals  with  the  Conquest  of  Mexico  by  Cortez  and  hla 
Spaniards,  the  "  White  Conquerors,"  who,  after  mamy  deeds  of  valor, 
pushed  their  way  into  the  great  Aztec  kingdom  and  established  their 
power  in  the  wondrous  city  where  Montezuma  reigned  in  splendor. 

CHARLES  SCRIBNE.R/S  SONS 
153-7  Fifth  Avenue  New  YorK 


gOOKS   FOR 

Young  People 


BY    CAPT.    F.    S.    BRERETON 

THE   DRAGON  OF   PEKIN 

A  Story  of  the  Boxer  Revolt.      Illustrated,  12mo,  $1.50. 

In  this  timely  volume  the  author  has  been  singularly  successful  In 
depicting  the  stirring  scenes  of  the  late  trouble  in  China.  His  hero  has 
an  adventurous  part  in  the  exciting  issue  between  China  and  the  Allied 
Powers. 

A   GALLANT    GRENADIER 

A  Tale  of  the  Crimean  War.     Illustrated,  12mo,  $1.50. 

Captain  Brereton  is  now  hailed  as  another  "  George  A.  Henty."  In 
this  stirring  story  the  history  and  the  real  atmosphere  of  this  impor- 
tant war  is  strikingly  conveyed  in  a  story  of  really  thrilling  power. 

WITH    RIFLE   AND    BAYONET 

A  Story  of    the    Boer  War.     Illustrations    by  Wal.   Paget. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Jack  Somerten  is  the  first  Uitlander  to  find  actual  evidence  that  the 
Boers  are  importing  arms  and  ammunition  in  large  quantities,  but  the 
Boers  soon  learn  that  he  has  discovered  their  secret  and  from  that  time 
his  life  is  in  constant  danger.  The  account  of  his  adventures  and 
escapes  during  this  time  and  throughout  the  war  makes  one  of  the 
best  war  tales  of  many  years. 

IN  THE   KING'S   SERVICE 

A  Tale  of  Cromwell's  Invasion  of  Ireland.     Illustrations   by 
Stanley  L.  Wood.    Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

When  the  Parlimentary  army  crosses  to  Ireland  young  Dick  Gran- 
ville and  his  cousin  join  a  body  of  Royalist  horse.  They  take  part  in 
the  defense  of  Drogheda,  only  escaping  from  the  slaughter  there  by  a 
miracle,  and  afterwards  go  through  a  series  of  thrilling  adventures  and 
narrow  escapes. 

WITH    SHIELD  AND   ASSEGAI 

A  Tale  of  the  Zulu  War.    With  C  Illustrations  by     Stanley 
L.  Wood.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

Donald  Stewart,  at  school  in  England,  is  wrongfully  accused  of  theft. 
He  runs  away,  enlists  in  the  British  army,  and  is  sent  to  Africa.  There 
he  learns  that  his  sister  and  a  friend  are  in  the  hands  of  Cetewayo. 
Disguised  as  a  Zulu,  he  rescues  the  two  girls ;  and  after  the  attack 
upon  Ulundi,  he  hears  from  a  dying  officer  a  confession  of  the  theft  of 
which  he  was  accused. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE 


BY  ROBERT  LEIGHTON 

"Mr.  Leighton's  place  is  in  the  front  rank  of  writers  of  boys'  books." 

— Standard. 

THE  GOLDEN  GALLEON 

Illustrated,  crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  Is  a  story  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  time,  just  after  the  defeat  of  the 
Spanish  Armada.  Mr.  Leighton  introduces  in  his  work  the  great  sea- 
fighters  of  Plymouth  town — Hawkins,  Drake,  Raleigh,  and  Richard 
Grenville. 

OLAF  THE  GLORIOUS 

With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Ralph  Peacock.  Crown  8vo, 
olivine  edges,   $1.50. 

This  story  of  Olaf,  King  of  Norway,  opens  with  his  being  found  living 
a6  a  bond-slave  in  Esthonia,  and  follows  him  through  his  romantic 
youth  in  Russia.  Then  come  his  adventures  as  a  Viking,  his  raids  upon 
the  coasts  of  Scotland  and  England,  and  his  conversion  to  Christianity. 
He  returns  to  Norway  as  king,  and  converts  his  people  to  the  Christian 
faith. 

WRECK  OF  "THE  GOLDEN  FLEECE" 

The  Story  of  a  North  Sea  Fisher-boy.  With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  Frank  Brangwyn.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  is  a  parson's  son  who  is  apprenticed  on  board  a  Lowestoft 
fishing  lugger.  The  lad  suffers  many  buffets  from  his  shipmates,  while 
the  storms  and  dangers  which  he  braved  are  set  forth  with  intense  power. 

THE  THIRSTY  SWORD 

A  Story  of  the  Norse  Invasion  of  Scotland  (1262-63).  With 
8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Alfred  Pearse,  and  a  Map. 
Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

This  story  tells  how  Roderick  Mac  Alpiu,  the  sea-rover,  came  to  the 
Isle  of  Bute;  how  he  6lew  his  brothei  in  Rothe6ayiCastle;  how  the  earl's 
eldest  6on  was  likewise  slain;  how  young  Kennc  now  became  king  of 
Bute,  and  vowed  vengeance  against  the  slayer  of  his  brother  and  father, 
and  finally,  how  this  vow  was  kept,  when  Kenric  and  the  murderous 
sea-rover  met  at  midnight  and  ended  their  feud  in  one  last  great  fight. 

THE  PILOTS  OF  POMONA 

A  Story  of  the  Orkney  Islands.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations 
by  John  Leighton,  and  a  Map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

Halcro  Ericson,  the  hero,  happens  upon  many  exciting  adventures 
and  hard  experiences,  through  which  he  carries  himself  with  quiet 
courage.  The  etory  gives  a  vivid  presentation  of  life  in  these  far 
northern  islands. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


AN  ANIMAL  ABC 

A  Humorous  Alphabet.  By  H.  B.  Neilson.  4to,  $1.00.  With 
24  pages  of  Illustrations  in  two  colors  and  24  pages  in 
black  and  white.     Verses  by  "The  Cockiolly  Bird." 

A  remarkably  attractive  collection  of  spirited  and  original  animal 
pictures  by  an  artist  who  excels  in  this  line. 

ROUNDABOUT  RHYMES 

Written  and  pictured  by  Mrs.  Percy  Dearmer.  Beautifully 
printed.  With  20  full-page  plates  in  colors.  Small  4to, 
$1.00. 

This  book  is  unusually  attractive  in  form,  and  is  admirably  suited 
to  the  youngest  readers.  The  pictures,  together  with  the  delightful 
series  of  half  playful  rhymes  accompanying  them,  have  a  quaint  nur- 
sery air  that  will  render  them  particularly  dear  to  a  child's  heart. 

THE  LITTLE  BROWNS 

By  Mabel  E.  Wolton.  With  80  Illustrations  by  H.  M. 
Brock,  and  a  Colored  Frontispiece.  Square  8vo,  gilt  edges, 
$2.00. 

The  Little  Browns  are  a  delightful  set  of  youngsters,  more  than 
usually  individual  and  self-reliant.  During  then-  parents'  absence  they 
extend  hospitality  to  a  stranger,  under  the  belief  that  he  is  their  uncle 
from  Australia.  The  supposed  uncle  is  really  a  burglar,  and  by  their 
courage  and  childish  resources  they  outwit  him.  The  Little  Browns  is 
the  work  of  a  true  child-lover. 


BY   CARTON    MOORE    PARK 

A  BOOK  OF  BIRDS 

Profusely  Illustrated  with  full-page  plates,  vignettes,  cover 
design,  etc.,  etc.      Demy  4to  (13  inches  by  10  inches),  $2.00. 

No  artist  has  caught  more  thoroughly  the  individualities  of  the  bird 
world,  or  has  reproduced  them  with  more  lifelike  vivacity  and  charm. 

AN  ALPHABET  OF  ANIMALS 

With  26  full-page  Plates,  a  large  number  of  vignettes,  and 
cover  design  by  Carton  Moore  Park.  Demy  4to  (13 
inches  by   10  inches),   $2.00. 

A  strikingly  artistic  alphabet  book.  Mr.  Park's  drawings  are  marked 
by  extraordinary  boldness  and  vigor  of  treatment ;  but  they  display  in 
addition  a  rare  appreciation  of  the  subtler  characteristics  of  the  animal 
world.  Of  these  individual  traits  Mr.  Park  has  an  intuitive  perception, 
and  his  pictures  may  almost  be  said    to  live  upon  the  page. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY   DR.   CORDON   STABLES 


COURAGE   TRUE   HEART 

A  Brilliant  New  Story  of  Danger  and  Daring  on  the  Sea.  By 
Gordon  Stables,  M.D.,  CM.  Illustrated,  crown  8to, 
$1.25. 

A   NAVAL   CADET 

A  Story  of  Adventure  by  Sea.  By  Gordon  Stables,  M.D., 
CM.     Illustrated,  crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

FOR   LIFE   AND  LIBERTY 

A  Story  of  Battle  by  Land  and  Sea.  By  Gordon  Stables, 
M.D.,  CM.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Stoney 
Paget.    12  mo,  $1.50. 

The  story  of  an  English  boy  who  runs  from  home  and  joins  the  South- 
ern army  in  the  late  Civil  War.  His  chum  enters  the  navy,  and  their 
various  adventures  are  set  forth  with  great  vigor  and  interest. 

TO   GREENLAND  AND   THE   POLE 

A  Story  of  Adventure  in  the  Arctic  Regions.  By  Gordon 
Stables,  M.D.,  CM.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by 
G.  C  Hindley,  and  a  map.  Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges, 
$1.50. 

The  author  is  himself  an  old  Arctic  voyager,  and  he  deals  with  deer- 
hunting  in  Norway,  sealing  in  the  Arctic  Seas,  bear-stalking  on  the 
ice-floes,  the  hardships  of  a  journey  across  Greenland,  and  a  successful 
voyage  to  the  back  of  the  North  Pole. 

WESTWARD  WITH   COLUMBUS 

By  Gordon  Stables,  M.D.,  CM.  With  8  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  Alfred  Pearse.    Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

The  hero  of  this  story  is  Columbus  himself.  His  career  is  traced 
from  boyhood  onward  through  the  many  hazardous  enterprises  in  which 
he  was  at  various  times  engaged.  The  narrative  deals  chiefly,  however, 
with  the  great  naval  venture  which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the 
American  continent. 

•TWIXT  SCHOOL  AND  COLLEGE 

A  Tale  of  Self-reliance.  By  Gordon  Stables,  M.D.,  CM. 
With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  Parkinson.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 


BOOKS  FOR    TO  UNO   PEOPLE 


IN  THE   DICTATOR'S  GRIP 

By  John  Samson.     Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.25 

A  vigorous  and  telling  story  of  an  Englishman's  adventures  in  the 
Pampas  and  Paraguay. 

JONES   THE   MYSTERIOUS 

By    Charles    Edwardbs.     With  3  Illustrations    by    Harold 
Copping.    12mo,  75  cts. 

A  bright  story  of  English  schoolboy  life,  with  mysterious  happenings 
to  the  hero,  who  has  a  secret  and  weird  "  power,"  bestowed  upon  him 
by  his  East  Indian  bearer. 

THE    HISTORY    OF  GUTTA-PERCHA 

WILLIE 

The  Working  Genius.  By  George  Macdonald.  With  8  Illus- 
trations by  Arthur  Hughes.     New  Edition.    12mo,  75  cts. 

WYNPORT  COLLEGE 

A  Story  of  School  Life.  By  Frederick  Harrison.  With  8 
Illustrations  by  Harold  Copping.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

The  hero  and  his  chums  differ  as  widely  in  character  as  in  personal 
appearance.  We  have  Patrick  O'Fflahertie,  the  good-natured  Irish 
boy ;  Jack  Brookes,  the  irrepressible  humorist ;  Davie  Jackson,  the 
true-hearted  little  lad  on  whose  haps  and  mishaps  the  plot  to  a  great 
extent  turns ;  and  the  hero  himself. 

THE  ROVER'S  SECRET 

A  Tale  of  the  Pirate  Cays  and  Lagoons  of  Cuba.  By  Harry 
Collingwood.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  C. 
Symons.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

The  hero  of  "The  Rover's  Secret,"  a  young  officer  of  the  British 
navy,  narrates  his  peculiar  experiences  in  childhood  and  his  subsequent 
perils  and  achivements. 

THE   PIRATE   ISLAND 

A  Story  of  the  South  Pacific.  By  Harry  Collingwood. 
Illustrated  by  8  full-page  Pictures  by  C.  J.  Staniland  and 
J.  R.  Wells.     Olivine  edges.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

This  story  details  the  adventures  of  a  lad  who  was  found  in  his  in- 
fancy on  board  a  wreck,  and  is  adopted  by  a  fisherman.  Going  to  sea, 
he  forms  one  of  a  party  who,  after  being  burned  out  of  their  ship, 
are  picked  up  by  a  pirate  brig  and  taken  to  the  "Pirate  Island,"  where 
they  have  many  thrilling  adventures. 


BOOKS   FOR    TO  UNO   PEOPLE 


BY    GEORGE    MANVILLE    FENN 

DICK   O'   THE   FENS 

A  Romance  of  the  Great  East  Swamp.  With  12  full-page 
Illustrations  by  Frank  Dadd.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

BROWNSMITH'S     BOY 

With  6  page  Illustrations.     Crown,  8vo,  $1.00. 

YUSSUF    THE    GUIDE 

Being  the  Strange  Story  of  Travels  in  Asia  Minor.  With  8  full- 
page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

THE   GOLDEN   MAGNET 

A  Tale  of  the  Land  of  the  Incas.  With  12  full-page  pictures  by 
Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

NAT  THE  NATURALIST 

A  Boy's  Adventures  in  the  Eastern  Seas.  Illustrated  by  8  full- 
page  Pictures  by  George  Browne.  Crown,  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

QUICKSILVER 

Or.  A  Boy  with  no  Skid  to  his  Wheel.  With  10  full-page  Illus- 
trations by  Frank  Dadd.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

DEVON    BOYS 

A  Tale  of  the  North  Shore.  With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by 
Gordon  Browne.    Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

MOTHER   CAREY'S   CHICKEN 

Her  Voyage  to  the  Unknown  Isle.  With  8  full  page  Illustra- 
tions.   Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

BUNYIP  LAND 

The  Story  of  a  Wild  Journey  in  New  Guinea.  With  6  full-page 
Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

IN  THE   KING'S  NAME 

Or,  The  Cruise  of  the  Kestrel.  Illustrated  by  12  full-page  Pic- 
tures by  Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

MENHARDOC 

A  Story  of  Cornish  Nets  and  Mines.  With  6  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  C.  J.  Staniland.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

PATIENCE   WINS 

Or,  War  in  the  Works.  With  6  full-page  Illustrations.  Crown 
8vo,  $1.00. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


BY  HARRY  COLLINGWOOD 

THE    LOG    OF    A    PRIVATEERSMAN 

With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.   Rainey,    R.I.     Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

In  tbe  war  between  Napoleon  and  the  British,  many  privateers  were 
sent  out  from  England  to  seize  and  destroy  the  French  merchant  vessels. 
On  one  of  these  George  Bowen  went  as  second  mate.  Long  distance 
duels  at  sea,  fights  at  close  quarters,  fierce  boarding  attacks,  capture  and 
recapture,  flight  and  pursuit,  storm  and  wreck,  fire  at  sea  and  days  with 
out  food  or  water  in  a  6mall  boat  on  the  ocean,  are  some  of  the  many 
thrilling  experiences  our  hero  passed  through. 

BY  PROFESSOR  A.  J.  CHURCH 

LORDS    OF    THE    WORLD 

A   story  of  the  Fall  of  Carthage  and   Corinth.     By  Professor 

A.  J.  Church.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  Ralph 

Peacook.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges  $1.50. 

The  scene  of  this  story  centres  in  the  destruction  of  Carthage  by  the 

Romans.    The  young  hero  is  captured  by  the  Romans,  but  wearing  the 

dress  of  his  twin  sister,  escapes  death.     Entering  the  army  of  Carthage 

he  is  in  the  thick  of  the  long  conflict  and  passes  through  many  thrilling 

adventures. 

BY  S   BARINQ-COULD 

GRETTIR    THE    OUTLAW 

A   story  of  Iceland.     By  S.   Baring-Gould.    With  10  full- 

Sage    Illustrations  by   M.   Zeno  Diemer,  and  a    Colored 
lap.     Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 
No  boy  will  be  able  to  withstand  the  magic  of  such  scenes  as  the  fight 
of  Grettir  with  twelve  bearserks  and  the  wrestle  with  Karr  the  Old  in 
the  chamber  of  the  dead. 


THE  MISSING  MERCHANTMAN 

By  Harry  Colling  wood.  With  6  full  page  pictures  by  W. 
H.  Overend.     Crown  8vo,  $1.00. 

A  flue  Australian  clipper  is  seized  by  the  crew;  the  passengers  are 
landed  on  one  deserted  isl  and,  the  captain  and  a  junior  officer  on  another, 
and  the  young  hero  of  the  story  is  kept  on  board  to  navigate  the  ship, 
which  the  mutineers  refit  as  a  private  vessel. 

THE    CONGO   ROVERS 

A  Tale  of  the  Slave  Squadron.  By  Harry  Collingwood. 
With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  Schonberg.  Crown 
8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

FIGHTING  THE  MATABELE 

By  J.  Chalmers.    With  6  Illustrations  by  Stanley  L.  Wood. 
l2mo,  $1.25. 


BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG   PEOPLE 


GOOD  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS 


THREE   FAIR   MAIDS 

Or,  The  Burkes  of  Denymore.  By  Katharine  Tynan.  With 
12  Illustrations  by  G.  D.  Hammond.  Crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.50. 

A  story  of  Irish  country  life.  The  three  fair  maids  are  the  daughters 
of  an  impoverished  Irish  lady.  Sir  Jasper's  disinheritance  of  their 
father  obliged  them  to  give  up  their  great  house,  but  the  family 
is  ultimately  reconciled  with  Uncle  Peter,  who  makes  Elizabeth  his 
heiress. 

THREE   BRIGHT   GIRLS 

A  Story  of  Chance  and  Mischance.     By  Annie  E.  Armstrong. 

With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.   Parkinson.     Crown 

8vo,  $1.25. 
"Among  many  good  stories  for  girls  this  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the 
very  best." — Teachers'  Aid. 

A   NEWNHAM    FRIENDSHIP 

By  Alice  Stronach.  With  6  Illustrations  by  Harold  Copping. 
Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

A  description  of  life  at  Newnham  College.  Men  students  play  their 
part  in  the  story,  and  the  closing  chapters  describe  the  work  of  some 
of  the  girls  as  "social  settlers "  in  the  east  of  London. 

THE   LADY  ISOBEL 

A  Story  for  Girls.  By  Eliza  F.  Pollard.  With  4  Illustra- 
tions by  W.  Fulton  Brown.     12mo,  $1.00. 

A  Tale  of  the  Scottish  Covenanters. 

A  GIRL  OF   TO-DAY 

By  Ellinor  Davenport  Adams.  With  6  page  Illustrations  by 
Gertrude  Demain  Hammond,  R.I.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 

The  boys  and  girls  of  Woodend  band  themselves  together,  and  that 
they  have  plenty  of  fun  is  seen  in  the  shopping  expedition  to  purchase 
stores  for  their  society,  and  in  the  successful  Christmas  entertainment. 
Max  Brenton's  fight  with  Joe  Baker,  the  bully,  shows  that  their  work 
has  Its  serious  side  as  well. 

CYNTHIA'S  BONNET  SHOP 

By  Rosa  Mulholland  (Lady  Gilbert).  With  8  Illustrations  by 
C.  D.  Hammond,  R.I.      Crown  8vo,  olivine  edges,  $1.50. 

Cynthia,  one  of  three  charming,  lively  sisters  of  an  impoverished 
Connaught  family,  desires  to  make  money  for  the  sake  of  her  delicate 
mother.  If  she  had  only  capital  she  would  open  a  millinery  establish- 
ment in  London.  The  capital  is  mysteriously  supplied,  and  the  6eoret 
of  the  unknown  benefactor  is  kept  to  the  end. 


BOOKS   FOR    YOUNG    PEOPLE 


GOOD  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS 


BY   ETHEL   F.    HEDDLE 

A  MYSTERY  OF  ST.   RULES 

$1.50. 

An  absorbing  novel  for  girls,  the  action  of  which  revolves  round  the 
mystery  of  a  stolen  diamond,  but  is  full  of  delightful  character 
sketches,  and  the  background  of  the  gray  old  city  is  charmingly  filled 
in.  The  mystery  is  well  maintained,  and  the  love  interest  is  6trong 
to  the  end. 

AN  ORIGINAL  GIRL 

Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.50. 

A  tale  of  London  and  English  country  life.  The  author  is  a  favorite 
writer  for  girls,  whose  previous  books  have  been  unusually  popular. 


THINGS   WILL   TAKE   A   TURN 

By  Beatrice  Harraden,  Author  of  "Ships  that  Pass  in  the 
Night."    Illustrated.     12mo,  $1.00. 

It  is  the  story  of  a  sunny-hearted  child,  Rosebud,  who  assists  her 
grandfather  in  his  dusty,  second-hand  bookshop. 

LAUGH  AND  LEARN 

The  Easiest  Book  of  Nursery  Lessons  and  Nursery  Games.  By 
Jennett  Humphreys.  Charmingly  Illustrated.  Square 
8vo,  $1.25. 

"One  of  the  best  books  of  the  kind  imaginable,  full  of  practical 
teachings  in  word  and  picture,  and  helping  the  little  ones  pleasantly 
along  a  right  royal  road  to  learning." — Oraphic. 

ADVENTURES   IN   TOYLAND 

By  Edith  King  Hall.  With  8  Colored  Plates  and  72  other 
Illustrations  by  Alice  B.  Woodward.     Square  8vo,  $2.00. 

The  story  of  what  a  little  girl  heard  and  saw  in  a  toy  shop. 

NELL'S    SCHOOL    DAYS 

A  Story  of  Town  and  Country.  By  H.  P.  Gethen.  With  4 
Illustrations,  $1.00. 

VIOLET   VEREKER'S   VANITY 

By  Annie  E.  Armstrong.  With  6  Illustrations  by  G.  D.  Ham- 
mond.   Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 


BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG   PEOPLE 


GOOD  BOOKS  FOR  GIRLS 


BY  ALICE   CORKRAN 

DOWN  THE  SNOW  STAIRS 

Or,  From  Good-night  to  Good-morning.  With  character  Illus- 
trations by  Gordon  Browne.  Square  crown  8vo,  olivine 
edges,  $1.25. 

"  A  gem  of  the  first  water,  bearing  upon  every  one  of  its  pages  the 
signet  mark  of  genius.  .  .  .  All  is  told  with  such  simplicity  and 
perfect  naturalness  that  the  dream  appears  to  be  a  solid  reality.  It  is 
indeed  a  little  Pilgrim's  Progress." — Christian  Leader. 

MARGERY  MERTON'S  GIRLHOOD 

With  6  full-page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.  Crown 
8vo,  $1.25. 

The  experience  of  an  orphan  girl  who  in  infancy  is  left  by  her  father, 
an  officer  in  India,  to  the  care  of  an  elderly  aunt  residing  near  Paris. 


A  VERY  ODD   GIRL 

Life  at  the  Gabled  Farm.     By  Annie  E.  Armstrong.     With  6 
full-page  Illustrations  by  S.  T.  Dadd.     Crown,  $1.25. 

HER    FRIEND    AND    MINE 

A  Story  of  Two  Sisters.     By  Florence  Coombe.     With  3 
Illustrations  by  Wm.  Rainey.     12mo,  $1.00. 

THE    EAGLE'S    NEST 

By  S.  E.  Cartwright.    With  3  Illustrations  by  Wm.  Rainey. 
12mo,  $1.00. 

MY    FRIEND    KATHLEEN 

By  Jennie   Chappell.     With  4  Illustrations   by   John    H. 
Bacon.    12mo,  $1.00. 

A    DAUGHTER    OF    ERIN 
By  Violet  G.  Finny.     With  4  Illustrations.     Price,  $1.00. 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

153-7  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York 


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